By Lucky Kidd
RENO COUNTY, Kan. — So far there have been single filings for most Reno County offices on the ballot this year. The two exceptions to that are for Magistrate Judge and for two of the three County Commission seats up this year.
The only filing so far for County Commission is Ron Hirst of South Hutchinson, seeking another term from District 2 which includes the southwest part of Hutchinson, south Hutchinson, and western and central Reno County south of the Arkansas River and generally west of McNew Road.
The other seats, for which no filings have yet been made, are for District 3, which takes the area of Hutchinson generally north of 23rd and each of Plum along with the Buhler and Medora areas and currently represented by Daniel Friesen, and District 4 which is the central part of Hutchinson and currently represented by John Whitesel.
In district 4 this election is for the final two years of a term Whitesel was appointed to following the 2020 election when the person who won the general election resigned before taking office.
The Magistrate Judge position is currently held by Jeff Newsum, who was appointed to the bench after Daniel Gilligan was elected Division 3 District Judge. For the two District Judge positions up this year, Incumbent Division 2 Judge Keith Schroeder has filed for re-election and Gregory Bell has filed for Position 4, which current Judge Patricia Macke Dick is not seeking re-election to.
Incumbent District Attorney Tom Stanton, County Clerk Donna Patton, Treasurer Richele Calvert, Register of Deeds Michele Updegrove, and Sheriff Darrian Campbell have all filed for re-election.
All candidates who have filed so far are Republicans. The filing deadline is noon on June 1st.
