Whatcom County candidates are gearing up for the August 1 primary, with a number of important positions up for election. Below are positions that will most impact Blaine and Birch Bay residents:
Whatcom County Executive
The Whatcom County Executive is a nonpartisan, four-year position that is currently being held by first-term incumbent Satpal Sidhu. Sidhu is being challenged by Misty Flowers, Alicia Rule, Dan Purdy, Barry Buchanan and Sukhwant Gill.
Whatcom County Council District 4
Incumbent Kathy Kershner is being challenged by Mark Stremler and Katherine Orlowski for the district 4 seat on county council. The position is a four-year regular term and represents the greater Lynden area.
Whatcom County Council District 5
Jackie Dexter, a Blaine resident and member of Whatcom County Marine Resources Committee, is running against first-term incumbent Ben Elenbaas, who is a fifth-generation farmer and has worked at BP Cherry Point. District 5 represents the Blaine, Birch Bay, Point Roberts, Lummi Nation and Lummi Island area. The position is a four-year regular term.
Whatcom County Council At-Large Position B
Carol Frazey is not running for a second term for one of the two at-large positions on Whatcom County Council. Atul Deshmane, Jon Scanlon, Hannah Ordos and Jerry Burns are running for the at-large position.
Blaine school board District 1
Current school board member Erika Creydt will challenge incumbent Kimberly Akre for the district 1 position, which is a four-year regular term. District 1 represents Point Roberts and part of central Blaine.
Blaine school board District 2
District 2 incumbent Dougal Thomas is not running for another term on school board.
Tana Perkins Reneau, Ben Lazarus and Dean Berkeley are vying for the empty seat, which is a four-year regular term. District 2 covers east Blaine and south of downtown.
Two other people originally filed but then withdrew from the race.
Blaine school board District 3
The district 3 school board seat has been left vacant because Erika Creydt is now in district 1. The position is a two-year unexpired term.
Jeff Carrington, commissioner for Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2, is running against Cliff Freeman, who is listed as the president of Blaine Athletic Booster Club.
Blaine school board District 4
District 4 incumbent Charles Gibson is not running for another term after serving on the school board since being appointed in 2006. Ryan Ford and Derrick Bovenkamp are running for the position, which is a four-year regular term.
Blaine school board District 5
District 5 incumbent Don Leu is running unopposed for the two-year unexpired term. District 5 represents Semiahmoo and south Blaine.
Blaine City Council Ward 1 Position 1
Incumbent Richard May is running unopposed for city council after two people withdrew from the position 1 race. The seat is a four-year regular term and represents east Blaine.
Blaine City Council Ward 2 Position 3
Councilmember Garth Baldwin will not run for another four-year regular term on city council. Steven Tojek and Sonia Hurt are running for the position.
Ward 2 represents a section of central Blaine that is west of I-5 and runs from south of Boblett Street near the Bell Road intersection.
Blaine City Council Ward 3 Position 5
Mary Lou Steward is running unopposed for the position 5 seat on city council. Ward 3 represents Semiahmoo and a section of central Blaine west of 6th Street and north of Boblett Street.
Port of Bellingham District 3 commissioner
Incumbent Bobby Briscoe will run unopposed for the four-year regular term. Briscoe has served as commissioner since 2016 and represents Blaine and Birch Bay in district 3.
Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2
Incumbents Jesse Creydt and David Wilbrecht are running unopposed for the commissioner positions they currently hold. John Roy, owner of the newly-opened Birch Bay Bike Shop, is running unopposed for the commissioner position 3, currently held by Jeff Carrington. The commissioner positions are four-year regular terms.
Birch Bay Water and Sewer District commissioner 2
Incumbent Don Montfort is running unopposed for commissioner, which is a six-year regular term.
Fire Protection District 21
Incumbents Bruce Ansell, Matthew Rigberg and Kimberly McMurray are running unopposed for the commissioner positions they currently hold on Fire Protection District 21, also known as North Whatcom Fire and Rescue.
Sheriff
Whatcom County undersheriff Doug Chadwick and Blaine police chief Donnell “Tank” Tanksley are running for county sheriff. Bill Elfo is retiring after serving as sheriff since 2003. The position is a four-year regular term.
Auditor
Whatcom County chief deputy auditor Stacy Henthorn is running unopposed for auditor after an opponent withdrew from the race. Diana Bradrick is retiring as county auditor.
Assessor
Incumbent Rebecca Xczar will run unopposed for the four-year regular term.
Treasurer
Incumbent Steven Oliver will run unopposed for another four-year regular term.
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