CANYON CITY — Two more candidates have entered the race for elected office in Grant County.

Grant County Justice of the Peace Kathy Stinnett has thrown her hat in the ring for county judge, and former Mt. Vernon City Councilor Mitchel Wilson is running for county commissioner. Both have filed paperwork with the Grant County Clerk’s Office.

Stinnett, of John Day, began work at the Grant County Justice Court as a clerk in 2009 and has been justice of the peace since winning the seat in 2012. Stinnett has won two six-year terms. Her current term ends at the end of this year.

“I guess I came to realize that I’ve had a front row seat at county government for the past 15 years and I always wanted to be more involved, but in my role as justice of the peace, I was always somewhat limited in what I could be a part of,” she said.

Stinnett, who was set to retire at the end of the year, said she was “prepared to stay in office if there weren’t any viable candidates” for the justice of the peace seat this year.

Dayville resident Dale Valade, who writes a hunting column in the Blue Mountain Eagle, announced his candidacy for the JP position in January. Valade’s campaign filing lists his occupation as ranch hand, freelance writer, hunting guide and construction laborer.

“Once a candidate who I felt is a capable citizen had filed, it kind of freed me up to think about other things,” Stinnett said. “That’s when I realized how much I had really wanted to use my experience to help make county government better.”

Stinnett earned a diploma from Grant Union High School and a certificate in the study of special courts from the University of Nevada-Reno. She will be running against County Commissioner Jim Hamsher, Grant County Watermaster Eric Julsrud and Blue Mountains Forest Partners Executive Director Mark Webb for the seat of county judge.

“Our biggest challenge is maintaining services for citizens in the face of increasing costs and decreasing revenues,” Stinnett said.

“That is a problem now and it’s probably going to be a problem into our future.”

Stinnett said she also wants to look at more ways for the average Grant County citizen to participate in county government.

“I want to explore ways for the average citizen here, holding down a job and does not have time to attend meetings, to still have more of a voice in county government,” she said.

Wilson is running for the position of county commissioner against Prairie City resident Frances Preston, a retired Forest Service employee and a leader of the Grant County Republican Party. Wilson is owner and operator of Wilson’s Welding and Fabrication in John Day and is a graduate of Grant Union High School.

“I just want to be involved,” Wilson said. “I’m committed to the community, and I’m going to finish raising my kids here and live out my life.”

Wilson is also concerned about county budgetary challenges and “trying to figure out how to keep supplying the services the county does with the decreasing budget.”

“Timber receipts are down,” he said. “Industry and good tax-paying businesses are down in the county, and I want to see if I can help fix that.”

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 county 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.