Six more candidates file for office, filing deadline Jan. 30

With less than one week to go before the election filing deadline next Tuesday afternoon, the battle lines for several Whitley County offices are becoming clearer, but a number of incumbent office holders are still without opposition.

Corbin City Commissioner Trent Knuckles shakes hands with Whitley County Clerk Kay Schwartz after filing to run for re-election Friday afternoon.

Since Jan. 9, six additional candidates have filed to run for races in Whitley County or races with ties to Whitley County.

Former Corbin City Commissioner Suzie Razmus filed last week and will face incumbent Corbin Mayor Willard McBurney and challenger Shannon Hall.

Current Corbin City Commissioner Trent Knuckles filed Friday seeking re-election and became the last incumbent Corbin City Commissioner to file to run for re-election. He joins incumbents Ed Tye, Andrew Pennington, David Grigsby Hart and challenger Freddie Bruce Hodge in the race.

The Second-District Magistrate race now has three candidates as James D. Blankenship of Corbin has joined fellow challenger Edmondo O. “Mondo” Cima in their bids to upset incumbent Lon “Chuck” Head.

The 82^nd State Representative race now officially has two candidates. Matt Anderson filed Monday as a Republican in the race, and Stefanie J.E. Kingsley filed Friday to run in the race as a Democrat. Kingsley is the only Democratic candidate that has filed to run for office in Whitley County so far this year.

Incumbent 82^nd Representative Regina Huff has not filed for office yet, but has indicated on her Facebook page that she does plan to seek re-election.

David Tapp filed on Jan. 11 to seek the Third-District Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court seat, and will be taking on Whitley County resident Dan Ballou.

Currently, the May Republican Primary ballot includes the following candidates in the following races.

• Whitley Circuit Court Clerk – incumbent Gary Barton.
• Whitley County Attorney – incumbent Bob Hammons.
• Whitley County Clerk – incumbent Kay Schwartz.
• Whitley County Sheriff – incumbent Colan Harrell, Ken Mobley and Michael Taylor.
• Whitley County Jailer – incumbent Brian Lawson and Curtis Surgener.
• 34^th Judicial Circuit Commonwealth’s Attorney – Ronnie Bowling and Graham Trimble.
• Whitley County Coroner – incumbent J. Andy Croley.
• Property Valuation Administrator – incumbent Ronnie Moses.
• Whitley County Judge-Executive – incumbent Pat White Jr.
• First-District Magistrate – incumbent Scotty Harrison and Gary Brock.
• Second-District Magistrate – incumbent Lon “Chuck” Head, Edmondo O. “Mondo” Cima and James D. Blankenship.
• Third-District Magistrate – incumbent Michael Jarboe and Ted M. Barrineau.
• Fourth-District Magistrate – incumbent Robert “Robbie” Brown.
• First-District Constable – incumbent Lonnie Foley.
• Second-District Constable – incumbent Ron “Bubba” Bowling.
• Third-District Constable – incumbent Dorman Patrick Jr.
• Fourth-District Constable – incumbent Andy Moses and Wayne Carr.
• 82^nd State Representative – Republican Matt Anderson and Democrat Stefanie J.E. Kingsley.

The November General Election currently shapes up as follows with these non-partisan races.

• Williamsburg Mayor – incumbent Roddy Harrison and Dr. Bernard Moses.
• Williamsburg City Council (six seats) – incumbents Laurel Jeffries West Mary Ann Stanfill, Loren Connell, Patty Faulkner, Richard Foley and Erica Broome Harris.
• Corbin City Commission (four seats) – incumbents Ed Tye, Andrew Pennington, David Grigsby Hart, Trent Knuckles and challenger Freddie Bruce Hodge.
• 34^th Judicial Circuit Division One District Judge – incumbent Cathy E. Prewitt.
• 34^th Judicial Circuit Division Two District Judge – incumbent Fred F. White.
• Third-District Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court (includes 27 counties) – Dan Ballou and David Tapp.

There is no primary election in the non-partisan races for Williamsburg mayor, the Kentucky Supreme Court seat, or district judge, unless three or more candidates file to run for office. There will be a primary election in the Corbin Mayor’s race, which has three candidates. The top two vote-getters will face off in the November General Election.

There will be no primary election unless 13 people or more candidates file for Williamsburg City Council or nine or more people file for Corbin City Commission.

So far, there have been no candidate filings for Whitley County Surveyor.

The filing deadline for all these positions is Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 4 p.m.