Published: November 11, 2009 08:40 pm      

Eager candidates continue to file in droves

Candidates for local offices have filed at the rate of more than one an hour since the Pulaski County clerk’s offices began accepting candidacy papers at 8 a.m. November 4. As of 1 p.m. Tuesday –– 37 hours after filing began –– a total of 40 candidates had plunked down $50 and filed their papers.

The initial flurry of filings was during the first few hours as candidates apparently wanted bragging rights that “I was the first to file.” Since then the pace has been steady with the office of magistrate and its $33,600 annual compensation attracting the most attention.

A total of 23 magisterial candidates for the five seats on Pulaski Fiscal Court had filed by 1 p.m. Tuesday –– five in District 1, nine in District 2, four in District 3, three in District 4 and 2 in District 5. Many more are expected before the 4 p.m. January 26 deadline.

Incumbent magistrates are Kenny Isaacs in District 1 (Isaacs is running for judge-executive); Mike Wilson in District 2 (Wilson has filed for reelection); Tommy Barnett in District 3 (Barnett has filed for reelection); Glenn Maxey in District 4 (Maxey has filed for reelection); and Mike Strunk in District 5 (Strunk has filed for reelection).

Despite projections of a host of candidates for county judge-executive, none had filed when this article was written. Prospective candidates are incumbent Barty Bullock, former judge-executive Darrell BeShears, former Pulaski County School Superintendent Bert Minton, Nancy resident Jimmy Dalton and Somerset City Councilor Steve Kelley, all registered Republicans. Kenny Isaacs, the only Democrat member of Pulaski Fiscal Court, also is campaigning for judge-executive.

Former Somerset Mayor JP Wiles has filed to regain his office and Larry Wesley, a former Somerset police chief and currently chief deputy sheriff, also has filed for mayor. Incumbent Somerset Mayor Eddie Girdler has not filed but has said he will seek another term.

Incumbents in countywide offices are a little slow to file, although they obviously have plenty of time. County Clerk Ralph Troxtell was the first to file, exactly at 8 a.m. November 4. Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) T.W. Todd and Coroner Richard New also have filed for reelection.

Candidates for offices in the city of Somerset are involved in the May primary if there are more than two candidates for mayor or more than two candidates in any of the city’s 12 wards. If a primary is necessary in any ward, the vote is citywide and, as in a mayoral primary, the two top vote-getters advance to the November general election.

Independent and school board candidates as well as candidates in Ferguson, Burnside, Science Hill and Eubank have until August 10 to file.





Following is a list of candidates who have filed as of 1 p.m. Tuesday (The Commonwealth Journal currently plans to update the filings at least once a week):



COUNTY CLERK

Ralph Troxtell (Republican)

PROPERTY VALUATION ADMINISTRATOR

T.W. Todd (Republican)

COUNTY ATTORNEY

Martin Hatfield (Republican).

CORONER

Richard D. New (Republican)

JAILER

David Moss (Republican)

MAGISTRATE -- DISTRICT 1

Jason Turpen (Republican)

Larry Light (Republican)

Jimmy Wilson (Republican)

Chris Bingham (Republican)

Roger B. McClendon (Republican)

CONSTABLE DISTRICT 1

Denny Allen Britt (Republican)

MAGISTRATE DISTRICT 2

Richard Gossett (Republican)

Darrell Wayne Haste (Republican)

Earl Owens (Republican)

Bobby Wesley (Republican)

Mike L. Wilson (Republican)

Tim Hall (Republican)

Larry Hines (Republican)

Eugene Harness (Republican)

Daron Young (Republican)

CONSTABLE DISTRICT 2

Clyde Molen (Republican)

MAGISTRATE DISTRICT 3

Claude J. Acton (Republican)

Jimmy Wheeldon (Republican)

Tommy Barnett (Republican)

James Cothron (Republican)

CONSTABLE DISTRICT 3

Richard Gene Palmer (Republican)

William W. Link (Republican)

MAGISTRATE DISTRICT 4

Glenn H. Maxey (Republican)

Charlie Acton (Republican)

Darwin Harris (Republican)

CONSTABLE DISTRICT 4

Anthony W. Deprato (Republican)

Audie Brock (Republican)

MAGISTRATE DISTRICT 5

Shane Francis (Republican)

Mike Strunk (Republican)

CONSTABLE DISTRICT 5

Michael W. Wallace (Republican)

Larry Cook (Republican)

Kenneth Ray Hembree (Republican)

MAYOR OF SOMERSET

JP Wiles (nonpartisan)

Larry Wesley (nonpartisan)

SOMERSET CITY COUNCIL

WARD 3

Charles (CL) Whitaker (nonpartisan)