Late filings set up county race; several incumbents do not file

    Local office filings the past week flowed in at the Chase County Clerk’s Office as the incumbent deadline came Tuesday.
    Terry Bilka of Enders filed for Chase County commissioner, and that creates a primary race in May. He is challenging incumbent Chuck Vette for the District 1 seat.
    Vette of Wauneta and Bilka both filed on Tuesday, said County Clerk/Election Commissioner Debbie Clark.     
    Vette and Bilka are both Republicans and since that is a partisan office, a run-off will occur at the May 12 primary. Each party can advance just one candidate, Clark said.
    The District 1 county commissioner seat is the only  county office up for election in 2020.
    As the clerk’s office closed Tuesday, several incumbents for local offices did not file, Clark said.
    Incumbents Sheila Stromberger, a Chase County Schools board member, and Johna Jablonski, an Imperial city council member, both chose not to file.
    Two incumbents on the Upper Republican NRD board did not file by Tuesday’s deadline—Tom Terryberry of Imperial (Sub. 7) and Kerry Bernhardt of Champion (Sub. 3).
    The NRD filings had to be done through the Secretary of State’s office.
    Jim Haarberg did not file for re-election to the Imperial  Airport Authority.

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