Political filings have been submitted and the races are on for municipal offices throughout Comanche, Stephens and Jackson counties. Candidate filings began Feb. 1 and ended Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. The elections for these races will be held April 6.
COMANCHE COUNTY
The mayor’s position in Cache drew four candidates: Scott Brown, 37, Kenneth Carter, 63, James McCarty, 35, and Susan Roskam, 57. Meanwhile, a trio of candidates filed for Cache’s Ward 3 seat. They are Stephen Red Elk, 50; Mark Roach, 27, and Perry Flint Runyan, 45.
The candidate receiving the most votes in each race will be declared the winner, a Comanche County Election Board official said. Rhoda Thomas was the lone candidate to file for the Cache city clerk position.
In Elgin, JJ Francais, 39, will occupy the mayor’s chair since challenger Bill Bybee withdrew from the race after filing the required paperwork. Bybee works for another government entity and state law forbids people from receiving paychecks from separate governmental bodies. At the same time, the Ward 3 seat attracted candidates Fred Guevara IV, 41, and Mary Parsons, 63. The only candidate to file for Elgin’s Ward 1 seat was Josh Thoma, 36.
In Geronimo, Dan Brown and Jeff Carroll were uncontested in their bids for the city council. Brown, 68, was the lone candidate to file for the Ward 2 seat and Carroll, 59, was the only candidate for Ward 4.
Similarly, Phillip Humble, 72, was the only candidate to file for a seat on Chattanooga’s board of trustees.
In Fletcher, Dick Herrin, 67, and Douglas D. Stamper filed for a seat on the board of trustees. Fletcher’s Cari Holden was the only candidate who filed for the town treasurer’s job.
John Enriquez, Sr., 62, and Juanell Webster, 63, were the two candidates for Indiahoma’s board of trustees.
In Medicine Park, Charles L. Callich III, 51, Chad Everett, 37, and incumbent David Schucker, 79, filed for seats on the town’s board of trustees. The top two vote-getters will be elected to the town board. Two other candidates are vying for an unexpired term on the town board; they are Brent Miller, 56, and Roger Johnson, 68.
Two candidates filed for the unexpired term on Sterling’s town board. They are Garrett Lawson, 28, and Charles Puccio, 49. The only candidate to file for the open seat on the town board was Michael Hudson, 59.
STEPHENS COUNTY
In Duncan, the mayor’s post drew candidates Patty Wininger and Robert Armstrong. That election will be held April 6 and the winner will serve a three-year term.
Comanche will have no contested city council races this year. Dennis Smokey Dobbins was the only candidate to file for the Ward 1 seat and Wanda J. Moore was the lone candidate to file in Ward 2. Both candidates, once they are sworn in, will serve four-year terms. In addition, Amanda Duke was the only candidate to file for the two-year, unexpired at-large council seat.
In Velma, voters will cast ballots for two of three candidates for the town board. Those candidates are Justin Tugmon, Kim Dumas and Bobby Jo Womack. The top two vote-getters will be elected to four-year terms. The election will be held April 6.
JACKSON COUNTY
Frederic Mack Armstrong was the lone candidate for the Office 4 seat on Blair’s Board of Trustees.
In Duke, Turner Herbert and Cary Todd Warren filed for a seat on the town’s Board of Trustees.
Meanwhile, five candidates filed for Eldorado’s Board of Trustees. The candidates are Kasey Lee Ballinger, Sunshine Marie Hamersley, Buddy Dewitt Dehlan, Christopher Keith Willis and Lynn Joe Stroud.
In Headrick, candidates Kristina Kay Hinote and Timothy Morris filed for a spot on the town’s Board of Trustees.
Meanwhile, two candidates filed for a seat on Martha’s Board of Trustees. They are John Karr and Maylinda Marie Burnett.
In Olustee, Jack Lee Sander, Ramiro Garcia and Johnny Ramirez filed for a seat on the Board of Trustees.
The Jackson County elections will be held April 6.