County election races taking shape
As the nomination period for countywide elections approaches, many potential campaigns for the June 8 ballot are beginning to take shape.
Elected seats up for grabs in Glenn County include the District Attorney's Office, the Sheriff's Office, the northern Superior Court Judge, Superintendent of Schools, the Assessor's Office, as well as both the Willows and Orland city seats on the County Board of Supervisors.
In January, some potential candidates began pulling paperwork to obtain signatures from voters in lieu of paying the election filing fees.
Nomination papers become available Feb. 16 and the nomination period closes March 12, according to the Glenn County Elections Office.
As of Monday afternoon, several potential races were beginning taking shape, while others, notably the Orland Chair on the Board of Supervisors or District 2, remained wide open.
A potential District 2 race was shaken up before it even began when incumbent Tracey Quarne announced he would step down from the board in order to pursue a campaign for the County Superintendent of Schools position.
As of Monday, no paperwork had been pulled with the elections office for the District 2 chair, according to election records.
Quarne has begun gathering signatures for his bid for the school chief position. However, incumbent County Superintendent of Schools Arturo Barerra had not pulled any paper work as of Monday afternoon.
A phone call to Barrera's office was not returned.
In the potential races for top law enforcement positions, each incumbent has announced they will seek re-election and, as of Monday, there were no challengers to Superior Court Judge Don Byrd, District Attorney Robert Holzapfel or Sheriff Larry Jones.
However, potential challengers for the Willows Board of Supervisors chair and the Assessor's Office have begun their pre-campaign signature gathering.
Incumbent Supervisor Mike Murray and potential challenger Pastor Keith Corum have been begun gathering signatures. Murray will be seeking his second term on the board. He was elected in 2006, defeating the current Willows mayor, Heather Baker.
Assessor-Clerk-Recorder Sheryl Thur was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to fill the term of Vince Minto who retired in December 2008, according to the elections office.
County resident Jolleen Whitsett has also began gathering signatures for a potential campaign for the assessor's office.
All candidates must submit "statements of economic interest" by March 12 and submit all necessary paperwork by March 22 for their name to appear on the June 8 ballot, according to the county election office.
Contact Rob Parsons at 934-6800 or rparsons@tcnpress.com.
