The 2022 election season is underway as several people have filed to run for office in local races.
As of press time, eight candidates have filed for office: incumbent Valery Bell, a Republican, has filed for County Treasurer; incumbent Kevin Horn, a Republican, has filed for Clerk of the District Court; incumbent Michael McGinnis, a Republican, has filed from County Commissioner; incumbent Michelle Robinson, a Republican, has filed for County Assessor; Brett Ditsch, a Republican, has filed for County Commissioner; Martie Burke, a Republican, has filed for County Clerk; incumbent Justin Ansley has filed for Hemingford School District Ward B; and incumbent Blanche Randolph has filed for Hemingford School District Ward C.
Box Butte County Clerk Judy Messersmith said the deadline for incumbents to file is Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. For non-incumbents, the deadline is March 1 at 5 p.m. Messersmith said her office will remain open until 5 p.m. on those deadline dates.
For the Village Board of Trustees and Educational Service Units, the deadline for incumbents to file is July 15 at 5 p.m. The deadline for non-incumbents to file for those offices is Aug. 1 at 5 p.m.
Locally, there are several offices that are up for election. At the county level, the County Assessor, the County Attorney, the County Clerk, the County Clerk of District Court, two County Commissioners, the County Sheriff, the County Surveyor, the County Treasurer and Public Defender are up for election.
On the city and village level, there are three seats up for grabs on the Alliance City Council, and two seats on the Village of Hemingford Board.
Alliance Public School #6 has three seats that are up for election, and Hemingford Public School #10 has three seats up for election as well, though they are divided between Ward A, Ward B and Ward C.
People who are interested in filing for the above positions must file at the Box Butte County Clerk’s Office.
Three seats are also available on the Bridgeport SD #63, as well as the Bayard SD #21. People interested in filing for those positions must do so at the Morrill County Clerk’s Office. The races for each of the school board seats are non-partisan.
The primary election is set for May 10, with the general election slated for Nov. 8.