CANYON CITY — Two more Grant County residents have filed to run for elected office in recent days.

Former Grant County Judge Mark Webb, of Mt. Vernon, and Dayville resident Dale Valade, who writes a hunting column in the Blue Mountain Eagle, have filed their candidacies with the Grant County Clerk’s Office.

Webb, who is executive director of the Blue Mountains Forest Partners forestry collaborative, is running again for county judge. He faces County Commissioner Jim Hamsher and Grant County Watermaster Eric Julsrud in the race for the seat.

“I’m running now because there are important challenges to be addressed and opportunities to be pursued at the county level,” Webb said. “Being county judge opens up all kinds of doors and opportunities, which, if pursued thoughtfully, would really impact the county significantly in good ways.”

Webb was recently appointed to sit on the five-member Environmental Quality Commission, which is the rulemaking and policy board for Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality, and has served on the Oregon Sustainability Board. Webb served a single six-year term as judge from January 2007 to January 2013.

“I believe that county government needs to be run responsibly in a manner that is also fair to county employees,” Webb said. “I think it’s critically important to engage with state and federal agencies in positive ways because the decisions made in Salem and in Washington really impact our quality of life.”

Valade, whose campaign filing lists his occupation as ranch hand, freelance writer, hunting guide and construction laborer, is running for justice of the peace. The seat is being vacated at the end of this year by current Justice of the Peace Kathy Stinnett, who has announced plans to step down at the end of her term.

“It’s an important office,” Valade said. “I think local government works best when local people are involved in it.”

He added the justice of the peace office is “another cog in the wheel of our justice system that allows everyone to have due process of law — ‘due’ being the key word there.”

A primary election will be held on May 21, though candidates for clerk, treasurer and sheriff will only appear on the May ballot if there are three or more candidates for each spot, with the top two vote-earners moving on to the Nov. 5 general election.

The filing period for prospective candidates began on Sept. 14 and will run until March 12. A filing form, called the SEL101, is available from the Grant County Clerk’s Office at 201 S. Humbolt St. in Canyon City or online at www.oregonvotes.gov.

The assessor, clerk, sheriff, treasurer, commissioner and surveyor serve a four-year term. The county judge and justice of the peace serve a six-year term.

For more information about the election, or filing to run, call 541-575-1675.