Local election filings loom for 2025

BY RANDY BRACHT

EPHRATA – Nearly 150 elective positions in local jurisdictions across Grant County – city councils, school boards, port district commissions, and more – will open for candidates during a weeklong filing period in early May. 

The Grant County Elections Office can begin receiving candidate declarations by mail starting April 21. The formal candidate filing period will run May 5-9, either in person or online. May 12 is the final day that a candidate can withdraw from the ballot. And there is a May 20 deadline for candidates to provide profile information for a voters’ pamphlet that is later distributed. 

Grant County Auditor Michele Jaderlund, who oversees the elections department, said all citizens considering a bid for public office are encouraged to begin researching requirements for filing and serving in specific elective posts. 

“There are several key factors to consider when running for an office, such as eligibility requirements, campaign financing, and the importance of community engagement,” said Jaderlund, noting the grassroots significance of local elective offices. 

“It’s an honor to be an elected official, and the importance of having people who truly want to serve their community cannot be overstated,” she said. 

Most of the 148 positions up for election in Grant County are non-partisan and carry four-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2026. However, some have short- or unexpired terms; others carry six-year terms. For positions which receive salaries, a filing fee of 1% is levied. 

Information for both voters and candidates is available locally from the Grant County Elections Office at the courthouse in Ephrata, and at the Washington Secretary of State’s office in Olympia. 

Along with listing all positions, the websites provide information regarding rules and regulations that candidates must adhere to, said Jaderlund. 

In Ephrata, the mayor’s position currently held by incumbent Bruce Reim will be up for election along with four seats on the seven-member city council. The four current incumbents are Sarah McDonnell, Kathleen Harris, Matt Moore, and Phil Borck. 

Similarly, the City of Soap Lake’s mayoral post and four city council seats are up for election this year. 

Elsewhere, the five-member Ephrata School Board has three positions that will open; Soap Lake and Wilson Creek school boards each have two. The Ephrata Port District and Ephrata-based Grant County Fire District 13 each have one commissioner post up for election. So do Grant County Hospital District No. 3, which operates Columbia Basin Hospital in Ephrata; and Hospital District No. 4, which runs McKay Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Soap Lake.

Other special districts with elective boards and commissions within the county include rural airport, cemetery, parks and recreation, sewer and water districts. 

In contested races with three or more candidates, voters will narrow the field during an Aug. 5 primary with the top two vote-getters advancing to the Nov. 4 general election. Ballots will be mailed out prior to each election to start an 18-day voting period. To be counted, ballots must be returned or postmarked by 8 p.m. on the two respective election nights. 

Additionally, voters may see certain measures on their ballots, such as levy or bond propositions, in some areas.