By Pat Jenkins
The Dispatch
An already skimpy selection of candidates in this year’s election has gotten slimmer for voters in south Pierce County.
Candidates have dropped out of two races for Bethel School Board and Graham Fire and Rescue commissioner, leaving current officeholders as the only choices.
And a candidate for Tacoma Port Commissioner, while not officially out of the race, has apparently stopped campaigning and left the contest to the two remaining candidates, but will still be on the ballot.
In the Bethel School District, board members Warren Smith Jr. and Stanley Chapin are now assured of re-election. Chris Truppner, who was running against Smith, and Robert Yount, who opposed Chapin, withdrew shortly after filing their candidacies.
Similarly, Rick Payne exited his race against Graham Fire Commissioner Gina Blanchard-Reed. She will keep the seat she was appointed to after it was created last year when voters expanded the commission from three members to five.
Payne has been a candidate for other offices in recent years.
After candidates officially entered races during the May 15-19 filing period, they had until May 22 to back out and keep their names off the ballot.
One who wanted to but missed the deadline is Jim Jensen. His name will be on the primary election ballot in August for Port Commissioner Position 1, even though he announced he was leaving the race after controversy over reportedly offensive posts he made online. John McCarthy and Eric Holdeman are the other candidates in the countywide contest.
Twenty-two positions are up for election in the south Pierce County area. Candidates were scarce for many of those even before the withdrawals. In some cases, there is only one candidate.
Incumbents are running alone for Eatonville mayor (Mike Schaub) and Town Council (Jennifer Hannah, Bob Walter and William Dunn), Eatonville School Board (Ronda Litzenberger and Annaliza Klumpar), and Ashford Water District Commissioner (Richard Johnson and Ryan Mettler).
Elsewhere, there are barely contested races for:
• Graham Fire and Rescue Commissioner. Incumbent Gerry Gustafson is opposed by Jacob Koukel for Position 1.
• South Pierce Fire and Rescue Commissioner. Incumbent Daniel Morris, Jody Westing and Alan Simmons are going for one of two seats, and Kevin Kneeshaw and Yanah Cook are running for the other.
• Port Commissioner. Incumbents Dick Marzano (Position 2) and Don Meyer (Position 4) each have one opponent. Noah Davis is running against Marzano, while Kristin Ang is opposite Meyer.
Races with more than two candidates will be on the primary ballot in order to get down to two finalists for the general election in November. All others will be decided only in November.
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