Stage set for Douglas 2022 election

The stage is set for the 2022 election with six countywide races after a Minden resident filed for Douglas County Commission District 2.

Air Force veteran, Douglas High graduate and recent Minden returnee Dan Casentini filed on Friday against candidate Sharla Hales for the seat being vacated by one-term county commissioner John Engels.

Also on Friday, Lake Tahoe resident Janet Murphy filed for the District 4 seat held by Commissioner Wes Rice. Rice, Murphy and Natalie Yanish are in competition for that seat.

Both races will be resolved in the June 14 Republican primary.

Clerk-Treasurer Amy Burgans drew a challenger on Tuesday when Foothill resident Heather MacDonnell filed for the seat. Both women are Republicans, which means that race will be decided in the primary.

On Friday, Republican Public Administrator Steve L. Walsh filed to retain his seat. Walsh, Sheriff Dan Coverley, District Attorney Mark Jackson, Assessor Trent Tholen and Recorder candidate Shawnyne Garren are all unopposed.

The competition for Douglas County School Board Area 7 will also appear on the primary ballot as two candidates for the seat being vacated by term-limited trustee Ross Chichester decided to try their luck on St. Patrick’s Day.

Minden resident Roberta Butterfield and Foothill resident Nicholas Brashears filed for the school board seat being sought by Gardnerville resident David Burns.

Unless one of the candidates for the nonpartisan position wins more than half the votes, it will then go to the general.

Minden resident Chris Shorten filed for the office on Monday, but his name was pulled after it was discovered the new Area 7 boundary ran down the middle of his street and he was on the wrong side.

On Friday, Shorten was the fourth person to file for one of the three seats on the Minden-Gardnerville Sanitation District putting that race on the general election ballot.

No primaries developed among the down-ballot races for districts.

Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District saw four people sign up for two seats. Benjamin Q. Johnson, John F. Breaux, Kirk Ledbetter and Stacy Noyes are all seeking a seat on the Tahoe board.

East Fork Swimming Pool District incumbents Travis Lee and Frank Dressel are facing a challenge from Charles Duarte.

A half-dozen candidates have filed for three seats on the Indian Hills General Improvement District board, including Penni Eisele, Kathryn Clark-Ross, Robert Garcia, Robert Stulac, Vicky Lufrano and Kendra Wilson.

Six candidates filed for three seats on the Topaz Ranch Estates General Improvement District board. ‘Sparky’ Clark, Barry Ferguson, Mark Bradshaw, Kaitlyn Insell, Lisa Sandbo and Michael Tanner are all vying for the south county board.

The deadline for candidates to withdraw is March 29. Mailed ballots should start going out around May 25 with early voting May 28-June 10. Election Day is June 14.