A fourth candidate filed for Emporia city commission this morning, shortly before the noon deadline.
Mike Mercer joined incumbents Jim Kessler, Julia A. Johnson and Kevin R. Nelson in the race for the three open seats on the Emporia city commission.
The Emporia school board also has four candidates for three openings.
Incumbent school board members Mike Crouch and Brent Windsor filed for their seats, with Amy Scheller and Danny J. Giefer also filing. Scheller and Giefer had applied last fall for an open position created when board member Homer Garza resigned before his term expired. After eight applicants for that position were interviewed by the board of education in September, Windsor was chosen to fill the unexpired term.
Mary Helmer, who currently holds the third position opening on the board, announced earlier that she would not run for office this year because of personal and professional obligations.
Most candidates for office in Lyon County’s spring elections will run unopposed this year.
Southern Lyon County board of education will have at least one race, with incumbent Kent Grieder facing Robyn Bechtel in a contest for Position 6 in the newly aligned district.
Southern district candidates running unopposed are: Craig A. Clark, position 1; Jeanette Schmidt, Position 2; William “Bill” C. Veatch, Position 3; and Kenny Hamman, Position 5.
In North Lyon County, three candidates filed for three open positions. They are: Sally Helton Anderson, Position 4; William “Bill” Leffler, Position 5; and James Scott Davis, Position 6.
Shelly A. Norling will face Lonnie D. Atchison in the election for mayor of Reading. Todd Hensley and Marc Atchison have filed for the Reading city council.
Candidates for city councils in other Lyon County towns are:
• Admire — Ronald H. Kuhn and David D. Winkler.
• Allen — Norman C. Mason and Robert “Bob” Williams.
• Americus — Dale D. Grimsley.
• Bushong — Lester Modlin, mayor; Aaron Atchison, Fred Fechter, Manuel Jackson, Jeff Modlin, Gary W. Smith, all city council.
• Hartford — Marsha K. Akins, Position 2; Linda L. Foster, Position 4.
• Neosho Rapids — Julia A. Buckridge, Richard E. Givens, Larry W. Masenthin, Wayne Parsons, Brian Shank, William Smith.
• Olpe — Mike Davis, Leslie Farr and Leon Pimple.