Jackson, Nysoe to Vie for Commissioner Spot

DAYTON - Two Dayton natives, who returned to town to retire after careers away, will face off in the race to replace retiring Columbia County Commissioner Chuck Reeves.

Merle Jackson and Dain Nysoe both filed for the position last week, Jackson preferring the Republican party and Nysoe, the Democrats.

Jackson worked as a nuclear engineer for many years, based in both Richland and Idaho Falla, Ida. He is currently manager of his family's farm operations in Columbia County. Nysoe worked as a marketing manager in Kitsap County before he and his wife, Claudia, returned to Dayton.

Reeves, a Columbia County Veteranarian, was first elect commissioner in 1994 and has served five terms.

All of the other open positions in Columbia County received only one candidate filing. In all of those cases, except County Clerk, the current incumbent will run unopposed.

Sue Marinella, who is currently Chief Deputy Clerk, filed for the Clerk position to replace Lynn Leseman, who is retiring. Her preferred party is Republican. Marinella has held her current position since 1995.

Leseman was first appointed to the County Clerk position in 1989 and has won re-election every four years since 1990. She was first hired in the Columbia County Clerk's office on a part-time basis in 1975.

A complete list of open positions and the candidates who have filed for them is shown on Page 2.

A primary election for all of the open positions will be held August 5. Since this will be a "top two" primary and no more than two candidates have filed for each position, Columbia County Auditor Sharon Richter said all of the candidates will move on to the general Election, which will be November 4. The only exception would be if a writein candidate were to out out-poll one of the candidates in a contested race.