Candidate filing period May 4-8 for Adams County offices
STAFF REPORT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 month AGO
One of three positions on the Adams County Commission, currently held by Mike Garza, pictured, will be on the November general election ballot.
FILE PHOTO
RITZVILLE — One Adams County Commission position and a number of county offices, including sheriff and prosecutor, will be on the ballot in the 2026 general election. Adams County Auditor Heidi Hunt announced Tuesday that the filling period will be May 4-8.
“Candidates are encouraged to file for office online,” Hunt wrote in a press release. “Candidate filings are accepted online at www.co.adams.wa.gov beginning at 8:00 a.m. on May 4 and will remain open continuously until 5:00 p.m. on May 8.”
People also can file in person at the Adams County Election Office, 106 W. Main St., from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday of the filing week.
County, state and federal elective offices on the 2026 ballot all have filing fees, which are due at the time of filing and are non-refundable.
Auditor will be among the offices on the 2026 ballot. Hunt announced in January that she would not be running for reelection.
The office of Adams County Sheriff also is open for election, and incumbent Dale Wagner announced his candidacy earlier this month for a new term.
One of three Adams County Commission seats will be on the ballot. District 3 includes portions of Othello and the area immediately north of town. Mike Garza is the incumbent.
Other offices include assessor, incumbent Veronica Rodriguez; clerk, Katie Sloan, incumbent; prosecutor, Randy Flyckt, incumbent; and treasurer, incumbent Kayla Meise.
Both of the county’s District Court judge positions are on the ballot. Andrea Russell is incumbent for Position 1, and Carolyn Benzel is the incumbent for Position 2.
Adams County is divided between two Washington state legislative districts, the Ninth District and the 13th District. All four House of Representative seats are up for election.
Mary Dye and Joe Schmick are the incumbents in the Ninth District. Tom Dent is one of two incumbents in the 13th District and has announced he is running for reelection, but Alex Ybarra, the other incumbent, has announced he is running for Washington State Senate. Incumbent Senator Judy Warnick said she was retiring at the end of the legislative session.
Ybarra’s position has attracted three candidates so far: Deanna Martinez and Don Myers, both of Moses Lake, and Jeff Leichleiter of Ellensburg.
Adams County also is split between two US Congressional districts. Fourth District incumbent Dan Newhouse has announced he is not running for reelection. The Fifth District incumbent is Michael Baumgartner.
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Adams County ballot features competitive federal, state and local races
RITZVILLE — Filing week has closed in Adams County, and voters will see a crowded and competitive ballot in the 2026 election cycle, with numerous contested races at the federal, state, and local levels. At the federal level, both U.S. Congressional Districts 4 and 5 will be on the ballot. Congressional District 4 has drawn significant interest, with 11 candidates filing after incumbent Dan Newhouse announced he will not seek re‑election. Congressional District 5 has 13 candidates filed, including incumbent Michael Baumgartner. One candidate withdrew from the race earlier this week and is not reflected on official candidate graphics.