Candidate filing week opens in Clark County

Filing week for dozens of local government elected offices kicked off Monday, and a few surprise names emerged in the mix of dozens who filed for candidacy.

Political newcomer George R. Francisco, 74, filed to run against Vancouver City Councilor Bill Turlay, who holds Position 6. Francisco, owner of Total Insurance By George, believes he could bring a different perspective to the council and wants to see the city progress.

“The reason I’m running is I’ve come to love the city of Vancouver and all its amenities. I feel now, to show my appreciation, it’s time to give back to that city by being a servant to the residents,” said Francisco, whose website is georgercandoit.com.

The Clark County council race will also see a newcomer in Tanner Martin. Martin, 24, is running for the open District 2 seat. The Ridgefield resident, who indicated no party preference in the partisan race, said he wants to make a positive change in the community.

“I have a lot to say and I feel like I can make a difference,” said Martin, a robotics technician with a local manufacturing company. “I just want to change our community and make it better and keep Clark County at the forefront of Washington.”

In Woodland, Washington State Patrol Trooper Will Finn is running to be the small city’s next mayor. As the agency’s spokesman for Southwest Washington, Finn’s name has surfaced in Columbian stories countless times over the past couple years.

Finn moved out of that position on Friday, transferring to a new traffic enforcement job in the Kelso area. In his previous role, he served as the WSP’s point man for the media on incidents in Clark, Skamania, Cowlitz, Lewis and Klickitat counties.

Should he win the election, Finn wouldn’t be the first former police officer to head up Woodland’s government. Mayor Grover Laseke, elected in 2012, worked in law enforcement for more than three decades before jumping into politics.

Laseke also spent part of his police career as a public information officer. So far, he hasn’t filed for re-election and Finn has no challengers.

Latest filings

Here are the candidates who had filed as of late Monday afternoon:

Clark County

Council, District No. 2: Julie Olson (Republican), Tanner Martin (No party preference).

Council, chair (at-large): Tom Mielke (Republican), David Madore (Republican).

Clark Superior Court

Judge, Position 6: John P. Fairgrieve.

City of Battle Ground

Council, Position No. 2: Shane A. Bowman.

Council, Position No. 3: Steven Douglas Phelps.

Council, Position No. 7: Philip Johnson.

City of Camas

Mayor: Scott Higgins.

Council, Ward 1, Position No. 1: Timothy J. Hazen.

Council, Ward 2, Position No. 1: Bonnie Carter

Council, Ward 3, Position No. 1: Greg K. Anderson.

Council, at-large position: Don Chaney.

City of La Center

Council, Position No. 5: Elizabeth Cerveny.

City of Ridgefield

Council, Position No. 2: David Taylor, Maria Salazar.

Council, Position No. 5: Darren S. Wertz.

City of Vancouver

Council, Position No. 4: Bart Hansen.

Council, Position No. 6: George R. Francisco.

City of Washougal

Council, Position No. 2: Michelle C. Wagner.

Council, Position No. 4: Joyce Lindsay.

City of Woodland

Mayor: Will Finn.

Town of Yacolt

Mayor: Jeff Carothers.

Cemetery District No. 6

Commissioner, Position No. 3: Stephen E. Root.

Clark Regional Wastewater District

Commissioner, Position No. 2: Norman Harker.

Clark County Fire and Rescue

Commissioner, Position No. 2: James R. (Bob) Johnson.

Fire Protection District No. 3

Commissioner, Position No. 2: Buck Heidrick.

Fire Protection District No. 5

Commissioner, Position No. 3: Ron Gibson.

Fire Protection District No. 6

Commissioner, Position No. 3: Casey M. Collins.

Fire Protection District No. 10

Commissioner, Position No. 2: Elizabeth “Beth” Goble.

Battle Ground School District No. 119

School director, District No. 2: Ken Root.

School director, District No. 4: Mavis Nickels.

Camas School District No. 117

School director, District No. 3: Connie Hennessey.

School director, District No. 4: Doug Quinn.

Evergreen School District No. 114

School director, District No. 2: Rob Perkins.

School director, District No. 3: Victoria Bradford, Frank Decker.

School director, District No. 4: Todd Yuzuriha.

Hockinson School District No. 98

School director, Position No. 4: Greg Gospe.

Ridgefield School District No. 122

School director, Position No. 2: Joseph Vance.

Vancouver School District No. 37

School director, Position No. 1: Dale Q. Rice, Heather Lindberg.

Port of Camas-Washougal

Commissioner, District No. 2: Bill Ward.

Port of Ridgefield

Commissioner, District No. 3: Joe Melroy.

Port of Vancouver

Commissioner, District No. 2: Nick Ande, Bill Hughes, Eric LaBrant, Scott Dalesandro, Peter Harrison.

Potential candidates in Clark County can file at clark.wa.gov/elections through 4 p.m. Friday or in person until 5 p.m. Friday at the elections office at 1408 Franklin St. in Vancouver.

There are also seats available on the Woodland City Council, the Woodland Swimming Pool and Recreation District and the Woodland School District board. Candidates for those offices can file with the Cowlitz County Auditor’s Office in person at 207 N. Fourth Ave. in Kelso or at vote.wa.gov/Cowlitz.

This year’s primary will be Aug. 4. The top two candidates from that primary, regardless of party, will move on to the Nov. 3 general election.

Amy M.E. Fischer and Justin Runquist of The Columbian contributed to this report.