Friday at 5 p.m. was the deadline for filing candidacy paperwork – which puts a candidate's name on the ballot for the June 8 direct primary – for all offices up for election this year, with the exception of the Lake County superintendent of schools.
Because incumbent Superintendent Dave Geck did not file papers to seek reelection, election rules extend the candidacy filing deadline until next Wednesday, March 17.
That office currently has two candidates in the race – Judy Luchsinger, who formerly held the office for 16 years, and Wally Holbrook, a former Kelseyville Unified superintendent.
The other offices on this year's ballot, which had to file candidacy papers by Friday, include the offices of assessor-recorder, county clerk-auditor, district attorney, sheriff-coroner, treasurer-tax collector, and supervisors for Districts 2 and 3.
District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith will have a challenger this year in Joyce Overton, currently in her second term on the Clearlake City Council.
District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing, who is finishing her first term as supervisor, will face challengers Gary Lewis, who she defeated for the office in 2006, and Bob Hesterberg, both of Upper Lake.
This year's district attorney's race will have incumbent Jon Hopkins, first elected in 2006, facing challenges from local defense attorneys Don Anderson and Doug Rhoades.
In the sheriff's race, incumbent Sheriff Rod Mitchell is seeking his fifth term in a year that sees challenges from Deputy Francisco Rivero and Jack Baxter, a retired sergeant from the San Jose Police Department.
This year, incumbents including Assessor-Recorder Douglas Wacker, County Clerk-Auditor Pam Cochrane and Treasurer-Tax Collector Sandra Kacharos will run unopposed for their seats, according to the Lake County Registrar of Voters.
In the races with two or less candidates, a majority vote will decide the election on June 8, based on election rules.
For those with three candidates or more, for the election to be decided on June 8, a candidate must win a 50 percent plus one majority. If that doesn't happen, the two top vote getters will be part of a runoff that will be settled during the general election on Nov. 2.
In other election-related news, the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office will conduct a county random alphabet drawing at 11 a.m. next Thursday, March 18, to determine the order of candidates on the June 8 ballot for the offices of statewide direct primary election ballot for the offices of state senator, District 2 and member of the state Assembly, District 1.
Local candidates on the ballot must submit their pre-election financial statements for the period of Jan. 1 through March 17 on March 22.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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