17 Candidates Vie For City Positions

							City of Yakima

News Release
Subject:     Candidates For City of Yakima Positions
Contact:     Community Relations Manager Randy Beehler - 901-1142
             City Clerk Karen Roberts – 575-6037
Release Date: Friday, Sept. 2nd, 2005

                17 Candidates Vie For 5 City of Yakima Positions
Voters casting ballots in the September 20th Primary Election have plenty of candidates
to choose from to fill 3 positions on the Yakima City Council and 2 municipal court
judgeships. 14 people are running for the
"at-large" positions on the City Council, and 3 candidates are competing to be elected
Municipal Court judge.
The Yakima City Council is made up of 7 members. 4 of the seats on the City Council
are district-specific seats, meaning the people elected to those seats represent particular
areas of town. The 4 district-specific seats were last up for election in 2002. The
remaining 3 Council positions are "at-large" seats, meaning the people elected to those
seats represent the entire City, are up for election this year. Both district-specific seats
and "at-large" seats carry 4-year terms.
The City's Municipal Court is served by 2 full-time judges. Those judges also serve 4-
year terms.
6 people are running for Position #1 on the City Council, which is open because Mary
Place, who has held the position for the past 8 years, chose not to run again. The
Position #1 candidates are: Eileen Birge, Jude Doty, Norm Johnson, Gary Walters,
Rockey Marshall, and Tony Williams.
5 people are running for Yakima City Council Position #2. Those candidates are: Bernie
Sims (incumbent), Greg Bohn, Micha Cawley, Earl Lee, and Maud Scott.
3 people are running for City Council Position #3. Those candidates are: Paul George
(incumbent), Wylie Mills, and Bill Lover.
Jonathan Martin (incumbent), and Kelley Olwell are competing for Yakima Municipal
Court Judge
Position #1. Susan Woodard, the incumbent, is unchallenged in the election for
Municipal Court Judge Position #2.
All of the positions on the Yakima City Council are non-partisan as are the 2 Municipal
Court judgeships. Therefore, the top two vote getters in each race will advance to the
November 8th General Election.
The September 20th Primary Election will be an "all-mail" election for the City of Yakima
positions. No polling places will be in operation. Voters will receive ballots by mail and
will return ballots by mail to the Yakima County Auditor's office.
More information about the City of Yakima candidates, the Primary Election, and the "all-
mail" voting system can be found on-line at www.co.yakima.wa.us/Vote/Default.htm or
by calling the Yakima County Auditor Elections Division at 574-1340.

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