A total of five Democrats and three Republicans stepped up by Monday’s deadline, saying they want to represent Third District voters on the Leavenworth County Commission.

Incumbent commissioner Wayne Eldridge, Basehor, will square off in the Aug. 1 Democrat primary against these four opponents, all from Tonganoxie: Jack Wolfe, Denzel Gibbens, Pat Albert and Patricia Young. In addition, a three-way race is under way on the Republican ticket among Joseph Daniels Jr., Tonganoxie, Wilma Schuler, Basehor; and Karl J. Brown Jr., Lansing.

The race for the third commission district, by far, has attracted the most interest.

The other incumbent county commissioner, Republican Bob Adams of Leavenworth, who represents the second district, attracted primary election opposition from H.B. Weeks, also of Leavenworth. In addition, Hank Spellman, a Democrat from Lansing has filed for Adams’ seat.

The state Senate seat being vacated by Don Biggs has attracted a crowd. Filing as Democrats are Mike Gibbens, Tonganoxie, and Connie O’Brien, Tonganoxie. The Democrats will have three choices in the primary election: Louis A. Klemp Jr., Leavenworth, Bob Lyon, Winchester, or Jack Divine, Leavenworth.

These incumbent county officials are facing no opposition: Frank Kohl, county attorney; Linda Scheer, county clerk; Herb Nye, sheriff; Stacy Driscoll, register of deeds; and Janice Young, treasurer.

If elected to the third district commission seat, Wolfe said, he would accept only $20,000 of the commissioner’s annual salary of nearly $38,000. The remaining salary, Wolfe said, should be placed in a fund to be used to bring petitions for elections on regulations passed by county commissioners. Among Wolfe’s many other ideas: voters should approve salaries of elected officeholders and department heads; county departments should be evaulated for use of funds; county roads should be inspected by commissioners and the county engineer to determine how to bring them up to standards; the county should start a road chip and seal program that’s equitable in all commission districts; voter approval would be required for establishing a county administrator position.

Attempts to reach Young and Brown were unsuccessful.