More Candidates File for County Board Race

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Two more candidates have filed to run for seats on the Washtenaw County board of commissioners in the Aug. 5, 2014 primary election.

Incumbent Democrat Ronnie Peterson paid a $100 fee on March 25 to appear on the ballot for District 6, which includes Ypsilanti and parts of Ypsilanti Township and Superior Township. And Wilma Gold-Jones, a Democrat from Ypsilanti Township, has filed the required number of signatures to be put on the ballot in District 5. She filed petitions on March 14, and the signatures she collected were subsequently validated by the county elections director. The incumbent in that seat, Rolland Sizemore Jr., previously had announced his intent not to seek re-election. District 5 covers southeast Washtenaw, including Augusta Township and much of Ypsilanti Township.

April 22 is the filing deadline for partisan candidates to be on the ballot for the Aug. 5 primary. For the office of county commissioner, candidates can file either 50 signatures from their district or pay a $100 fee to appear on the ballot.

The county board has nine seats. All commissioners serve two-year terms, and all seats are up for election in 2014. Commissioners elected in November will begin their new terms on Jan. 1, 2015.

Three other candidates had already filed the necessary paperwork to run for county commissioner in 2014, including two incumbents: Republican Dan Smith of District 2 and Democrat Kent Martinez-Kratz of District 1. Also on the ballot in District 1 is Republican Larry Murphy. District 1 covers west and northwest portions of the county, including Chelsea and Dexter. District 2 covers north and northeast portions of Washtenaw County, including a northern part of Ann Arbor.

The three incumbent Democrats representing Ann Arbor districts – Andy LaBarre (District 7), Yousef Rabhi (District 8) and Conan Smith (District 9) – have all indicated their intent to run for re-election, but have not yet filed with the clerk’s office. Conan Smith, who had been considering other options, announced his decision to seek re-election about a week ago, on March 22.