Candidate filing week coming up

Those interested in running for public office will need to keep track of the filing period coming up. The election division in the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office will be accepting applications from Monday, May 15 until Friday, May 19. A fair number of elected positions in Blaine are up for election this year, including all of the school board seats:

• Blaine City Council, Ward 1 Position 1, currently held by Richard May, is up for a 4-year regular term.

• Blaine City Council, Ward 2 Position 3, currently held by Garth Baldwin, is up for a 4-year regular term.

• Blaine City Council, Ward 3 Position 3, currently held by Mary Lou Steward, is up for a 4-year regular term.

• Blaine school board, District 1, currently held by Kimberly Akre, is up for a 4-year regular term.

• Blaine school board, District 2, currently held by Dougal Thomas, is up for a 4-year regular term.

• Blaine school board, District 3, currently held by Erika Creydt, is up for a 2-year unexpired term.

• Blaine school board, District 4, currently held by Charles Gibson, is up for a 4-year regular term.

• Blaine school board, District 5, currently held by Donald Leu, is up for a 2-year unexpired term.

• Fire Protection District 21, Position 4, currently held by Matthew Rigberg, is up for a 6-year short and full term.

• Fire Protection District 21, Position 5, currently held by Kimberly Calman-McMurray, is up for a 6-year regular term.

• Birch Bay Water and Sewer District, Position 2, currently held by Don Montfort, is up for a 6-year regular term.

There is a plethora of Whatcom County seats up for election as well. Whatcom County Council Position 5, currently held by Ben Elenbaas, and Carol Frazey’s at-large Position B seat are up for election. The assessor, auditor, sheriff and treasurer positions are also up for election. Finally, the Port of Bellingham, Commissioner District 3 (which represents Blaine and Birch Bay) is up for a 4-year regular term. Bobby Briscoe currently warms that seat.

For more information on how to file, visit the auditor’s office website at bit.ly/3uJXLUP.

Whatcom County Council approved new precinct boundaries during its April 11 meeting that will go into effect for the August primary election. For more information, visit bit.ly/41DLpOz.