Four file to run for Springfield City Commission

Four Springfield residents — including two incumbents and two political newcomers — have filed petitions to run for three seats on the city commission on the November ballot.

Current Springfield City Commissioners Dan Martin and Joyce Chilton and challengers David Estrop and Rob Rue dropped off petitions Wednesday, according to Clark County Board of Elections Director Jason Baker.

The deadline to file petitions was 4 p.m. Wednesday, Baker said.

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Three other candidates — former city manager James Caplinger, financial planner Brett Bumgarner and resident Richard Smith — all pulled petitions but decided not to run.

Caplinger decided not to run after consulting with his family, he said. He lost his wife last year and the family is still coping, he said.

“It’s not timely this time,” Caplinger said. “I’m quite interested and I may do it at another time around.”

Bumgarner decided not to run due to other professional commitments, he said.

Martin, an assistant attorney general for environmental enforcement for the state, is seeking his sixth consecutive four-year term on the commission. Chilton, a freelance paralegal who retired from the Clark County Public Library, is vying for her third consecutive term.

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Rue is the co-owner of Littleton and Rue Funeral Home and Estrop is the former superintendent for Springfield City School District.

Candidates must supply the board with petitions that include 250 valid signatures of registered Springfield voters to get on the ballot. The board will meet on Feb. 13 to vote on the petitions, which election officials will begin examining this week, Baker said.

A primary won’t be needed on May 2 because there aren’t seven or more valid candidates, he said.

The election will be held in November for residents to select three candidates.

Current Springfield City Commissioner Karen Duncan isn’t seeking re-election and plans to end her 12-year political career. She was the leading vote-getter when the three seats were last on the ballot in 2013.

All three incumbent commissioners — Duncan, Chilton and Martin — were re-elected that year, beating out challenger Dan Harkins, a local attorney.

In November of 2015, Mayor Warren Copeland beat challenger Fred Stegner. City Commission Kevin O’Neill was also elected after running unopposed.

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