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Sidhu among candidates gearing up for 2023 election
Candidates across Whatcom County are gearing up for the August 2023 primary election.
A handful of candidates have started filing their bids for public positions with the Public Disclosure Commission ahead of the August 1 primary election.
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Satpal Sidhu will run for a second term as Whatcom County Executive. Sidhu was elected to the four-year position in 2019 and has previously served as a county councilmember for five years.
Kathy Kershner announced she will run again for Whatcom County Council district position 4, which encompasses Lynden and parts of Custer and east Blaine. Kershner has served on county council for two terms and is a U.S. Navy retiree.
Jonathan Scanlon filed to run for Whatcom County Council’s second at-large position. Scanlon has over 20 years’ experience in public policy working at both the state and global level, according to his website.
Blaine police chief Donnell Tanksley announced his bid for Whatcom County Sheriff last month and Stacy Henthorn recently announced her bid for Whatcom County Auditor.
Here are the positions up for election in 2023:
• Whatcom County Executive.
Satpal Sidhu is the incumbent for the four-year term.
• Whatcom County Council district 4 position. Kathy Kershner is the incumbent for the four-year term.
• Whatcom County Council district 5 position, which encompasses Blaine, Birch Bay and parts of Custer. Ben Elenbaas is the incumbent for the four-year term.
• Whatcom County Council atlarge position B. Carol Frazey is the incumbent for the four-year term.
• Whatcom County Assessor. Rebecca Xczar is the incumbent for the four-year term.
• Whatcom County Auditor. Auditor Diana Bradrick announced she would retire at the end of her four-year term and endorsed her assistant who announced a bid.
• Whatcom County Sheriff. Sheriff Bill Elfo has yet to announce if he will seek reelection for the four-year term.
• Whatcom County Treasurer. Steven Oliver is the incumbent for the four-year term.
• Port of Bellingham district 3 commissioner, represents Blaine, Birch Bay and Custer. Bobby Briscoe is the incumbent for the four-year term.
• Blaine City Council ward 1 position 1. Richard May is the incumbent for the four-year term.
• Blaine City Council ward 2 position 3. Garth Baldwin is the incumbent for the four-year term.
• Blaine City Council ward 3 position 5. Mary Lou Steward is the incumbent for the four-year term.
• Blaine school board district 1. Kimberly Akre will become the incumbent for the four-year position when she is sworn in during the February school board meeting.
• Blaine school board district 2. Dougal Thomas is the incumbent for the four-year position.
• Blaine school board district 4. Charles Gibson is the incumbent for the four-year position.
• North Whatcom Fire and Rescue commissioner position 2. Bruce Ansell is the incumbent for the six-year term.
• North Whatcom Fire and Rescue commissioner position 4. Matthew Rigberg is the incumbent for the six-year term.
• North Whatcom Fire and Rescue commissioner position 5. Kimberly Calman-McMurray is the incumbent for the six-year term.
• Birch Bay Water and Sewer District commissioner position 2. Don Montfort is the incumbent for the six-year term.
• Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 commissioner position 1. Jesse Creydt is the incumbent for the four-year term.
Management Hearings Board that expressed its support for the Ridge at Semiahmoo development.
The Ridge at Semiahmoo is a proposed 25-lot residential development located on an 11.3acre property at the corner of Semiahmoo Drive and Semiahmoo Ridge. Due to unforeseen health and pandemic-related circumstances, the owners were unable to proceed with the development, and the project approval expired in January 2022, according to the letter. The ap - plicant approached the county for authorization to extend project approvals beyond the expiration date, but the county’s legal staff concluded that restrictions in the growth management act (GMA) prevented the county from issuing any additional extensions.
Council’s letter of support encourages exploring potential changes to GMA regulations that could address extending project expiration dates for extenuating circumstances.
