LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – It's not yet 2014 but the county's election office already is gearing up for a busy election season in the new year.
Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley on Friday reported on the deadlines for candidates in the June 3 statewide direct primary election, which will include not just local candidates but also candidates for state and federal offices.
The local offices up for election this year include county superintendent of schools, assessor-recorder, county clerk-auditor-controller, sheriff-coroner, treasurer-tax collector, District 2 county supervisor and District 3 county supervisor, Fridley said.
Rounding out their first terms are Lake County Superintendent of Schools Wally Holbrook, District Attorney Don Anderson and Sheriff Frank Rivero.
Longtime Assessor-Recorder Doug Wacker also will be back up for reelection, and appearing on the ballot for the first time will be County Clerk-Auditor-Controller Cathy Saderlund and Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen.
Both Saderlund and Ringen – longtime employees of their respective departments – were appointed by the Board of Supervisors when the offices became open due to retirement and resignation, respectively.
Saderlund was appointed in October 2011 to succeed Pam Cochrane, who retired, and Ringen was appointed just last month to finish the term of Sandra Shaul, who left for a job in Marin in March, as Lake County New has reported.
Of those offices, so far only Rivero has challengers who have indicated they will run against him in his bid for reelection – retired Clearlake Police Chief Bob Chalk and Lake County Probation Assistant Chief Brian Martin.
The seats of District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith and District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing will be up for election in 2014.
Smith has indicated he will seek reelection but Rushing has said she will not seek a third term.
Earlier this month, Clearlake City Council member Jeri Spittler announced on social media that she would seek the District 2 seat on the Board of Supervisors.
As for the open District 3 seat, a large field already has formed to run for it. Candidates that have indicated plans to run so far include Upper Lake contractor John Brosnan; Clearlake Oaks resident Marvin Butler, a well-known businessman and former county planning commissioner; Mark Currier of Spring Valley, who chairs the County Service Area No. 2 Spring Valley Advisory Board; Clearlake Oaks resident Herb Gura, founder of the Self Help Law Center and currently a member of the Konocti Unified Board of Trustees; and Jim Steele, a retired California Department of Fish and Game biologist and ecologist who lives in Clearlake Oaks.
Fridley said candidates for the local elective offices listed above may submit “in-lieu-of-filing fee petitions” – containing signatures of registered voters in the jurisdiction in which he or she is seeking nomination – to offset all or part of the cost of the filing fee.
The in-lieu-of-filing fee petitions are available to candidates during regular office hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridley said.
She said the deadline to file the in-lieu-of-filing fee petitions with the Lake County Registrar of
Voters’ Office is Feb. 20.
On Friday, sheriff's candidates Brian Martin and Bob Chalk said they took out their in-lieu-of-filing fee petitions.
All candidates for elective office also must file within the nomination period of Feb. 10 through March 7 a declaration of candidacy form and nomination papers in order for their name to be printed on the June 3 Statewide Direct Primary Election ballot, Fridley said.
In addition to the local offices coming up for election this June, voters will be deciding on statewide offices, including governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, controller, treasurer, attorney general, insurance commissioner, superintendent of public instruction and Board of Equalization member District 2, Fridley reported.
Fridley said the state legislative seats representing Lake County, Senate District 2 and Assembly District 4, will be on the ballot as well.
Both seats are open this year, with Sen. Noreen Evans announcing her retirement and Assemblymember Mariko Yamada being termed out.
Seeking Evans' seat are Sonoma County Supervisor Mike McGuire; longtime state Senate staffer and Arcata resident Chris Lehman; and Novato Mayor Eric Lucan.
The field so far in the Assembly District 4 race includes Napa County Supervisor Bill Dodd, Davis Mayor Joe Krovoza, Napa County Planning Commissioner Matt Pope and Davis City Councilman Dan Wolk, as Lake County News has reported.
Congressman John Garamendi and Mike Thompson, representing congressional districts 3 and 5, respectively, also will be up for reelection, according to Fridley's office.
Voters desiring information regarding filing for any of the local elective offices may visit the Registrar of Voters Office in person at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Room 209, Lakeport, or call 707-263-2372.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.