***UPDATE*** 1-16-14 Since the last update, there have been several filings for both local and state office. There have also been a couple of incumbents who will not seek re-election and one local candidate has withdrawn from his race.
In local filings, several incumbent constables have filed to run for re-election including First District Constable Leslie "Dickie" Gibson (D), Third District Constable Jonathan James (R) and Fourth District Constable Helen Dever (R).
About two weeks after Charlotte Whittaker withdrew from the First District Magistrate's race, Ken Brown (R) has decided to withdraw from the Third District Magistrate's race. This leaves Democrat Joe Barnes as the lone candidate to have filed for this office.
Justin Keown has filed to run for the office of county attorney, after incumbent Greg Hill decided not to seek another term.
In the Beaver Dam City Commission race, incumbent city commissioner Kevin Davis filed for re-election. After Davis' filing, all current members of the city commission including Mayor Paul Sandefur have filed for re-election.
In a bit of a surprise, incumbent State Senator Jerry Rhoades (D) announced he would not be seeking re-election in State Senate District 6. Among other reasons, Rhoades said he wanted to spend more time with his family. State Representative C.B. Embry, Jr. is the only candidate to file for the state senate seat in District 6.
Three more candidates have filed to run for United State Senate in Kentucky, Democrat Burrel Charles Farnsley, Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes and the incumbent, Republican Mitch McConnell. There are six candidates who have filed for the U.S. State Senate seat, three Democrats and three Republicans.
***UPDATE*** 1-2-14 Since the last update, there have been two incumbents to file for magistrate and a candidate to withdraw from a magistrate race.
Second District Magistrate Jason Bullock (D) filed on Dec. 27 to seek re-election. As of this time, Bullock is the only candidate to file for Second District Magistrate.
In other news, First District Magistrate candidate Charlotte Whittaker (D) withdrew from the race. Whittaker said her "heart was just not in this race" and has decided to spend more time with family, travel and continue her volunteer work.
Just as Whittaker has withdrawn from the First District Magistrate race, the incumbent has filed for re-election. First District Magistrate Michael McKenney (D) filed for re-election yesterday. As of this time, McKenney is the only person in the race for First District Magistrate.
12-18-13: There has only been one candidate to file for local office since last week's update, but there is now a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate for Kentucky and several district judges races have been added.
In the local races, Beaver Dam City Commissioner Sandy Robinson has filed for re-election. She joins incumbents Keith Dale and Charles Patton in the city commission race. Beaver Dam Mayor Paul Sandefur has also filed for re-election.
In the U.S. Senate race, Democrat Tom Recktenwald, of Louisville, has filed. So far, Recktenwald is the only Democratic challenger, while there are two Republican candidates vying for the office, Matt Bevin and Gurley Martin. Incumbent Mitch McConnell has not filed as of yet.
In the 38th District race for judges, several incumbents have filed. Incumbents Renona Browning, Ronnie Dortch, John McCarty and Michael McKown have all filed for re-election.
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***UPDATE*** 12-11-13 There has only been one filing for office since last week's update.
Incumbent Fifth District Magistrate Kenny Autry has filed for re-election. Autry, a Republican, joins two other Republican candidates, Larry Morphew and Cecil Gilstrap, in the Fifth District Magistrate race. The three Republicans will meet in the May primary. As of this time, there have been no Democrats to file for Fifth District Magistrate.
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***UPDATE*** 12-04-13 Since last week's update, there have been two more filings for local office.
Joining Republican Larry Morphew in the Fifth District Magistrate's race, Republican Cecil Gilstrap of Cromwell filed last week. Incumbent Kenny Autry has not filed as of yet, but is expected to in the future.
In the Beaver Dam City Commission race, incumbent Charles Patton has filed for re-election. He joins incumbent Keith Dale in the city commission race. Beaver Dam Mayor Paul Sandefur filed for re-election in early November.
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***UPDATE*** 11-27-13 There have been four new filings for county and city offices since Nov. 20, as well as a new filing for the United States Senate race in Kentucky.
Former Hartford City Clerk and Democrat Cheryl Morris filed to run for Ohio County Judge-Executive. Morris will enter a primary race that includes, at this time, two other Democrats, current Third District Magistrate Brandon Thomas and Eddie Phelps. The incumbent David Johnston has no primary challengers at this point.
The Third District Magistrate race now has two candidates, as Democrat Ken Brown and Republican Joe Barnes, both of Beaver Dam, have filed. Thomas, the current Third District Magistrate, is not seeking re-election, though will be running for the office of judge-executive.
In the Beaver Dam City Commission race, incumbent Keith Dale has filed seeking another term.
On the state level, Republican Gurley L. Martin has filed to run for Kentucky's representative in the United States Senate. He joins Republican Matt Bevin in a primary race that incumbent Senator Mitch McConnell has not yet entered.
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Election season is here as candidates began filing to run for office in Ohio County on Nov. 6. The filing deadline is Jan. 28, 2014. The state’s primary election will be held on May 20, 2014, followed by the general election on Nov. 4, 2014.
As of this time, 12 people have filed for office at the county clerk's office and one has filed for the state Senate District 6 seat and another for U.S. Senator. More filings are expected over the next several weeks. A list of those who have filed for office is provided below and will be updated throughout the campaign season.
OHIO COUNTY JUDGE-EXECUTIVE
David Johnston (R) Incumbent Brandon Thomas (D) Eddie Phelps (D) Cheryl Morris (D)
OHIO COUNTY SHERIFF
David Thompson (D) Incumbent Tracy Beatty (R)
OHIO COUNTY CLERK
Bess Ralph (D) Incumbent
OHIO COUNTY PVA
Jason Chinn (D) Incumbent
OHIO COUNTY JAILER
Gerry "Rip" Wright (D) Incumbent
OHIO COUNTY CORONER
Larry Bevil (R) Incumbent
FIRST DISTRICT MAGISTRATE
Charlotte Whittaker (D) Withdrawn Michael McKenney (D) Incumbent
SECOND DISTRICT MAGISTRATE
Jason Bullock (D) Incumbent
THIRD DISTRICT MAGISTRATE
Joe Barnes (D) Ken Brown (R) Withdrawn
FIFTH DISTRICT MAGISTRATE
Kenny Autry (R) Incumbent Larry Morphew (R) Cecil Gilstrap (R)
COUNTY ATTORNEY
Justin Keown (D)
FIRST DISTRICT CONSTABLE
Leslie R. "Dickie" Gibson (D) Incumbent
THIRD DISTRICT CONSTABLE
Jonathan James (R) Incumbent
FOURTH DISTRICT CONSTABLE
Helen Dever (R) Incumbent
BEAVER DAM MAYOR
Paul Sandefur Incumbent
BEAVER DAM CITY COMMISSION
Keith Dale Incumbent Charles W. Patton Incumbent Sandy Johnson Robinson Incumbent Kevin Davis Incumbent
38th District Division 1 Judge
Renona C. Browning Incumbent
38th Circuit Division 1 Judge
Ronnie C. Dortch Incumbent
38th District Division 2 Judge
John M. McCarty Incumbent
38th District Division 2 (Family Court) Judge
Michael Lee McKown Incumbent
State Senate District 6 (Ohio, Hopkins, Butler, Muhlenberg)
C.B. Embry Jr. (R)
United States Senate
Mitch McConnell (R) Incumbent Matt Bevin (R) Gurley L. Martin (R) Tom Recktenwald (D) Burrel Charles Farnsley (D) Alison Lundergan Grimes (D)