(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of articles about upcoming local election issues.)

County Clerk Donna Zimmerman has been saying that 2012 will be a busy year for her election office staff and it’s already proving to be — and the year’s just getting started.
There will be election activity off and on until almost the end of the year, finishing up with the November general election, which features the presidential race.
The next step is the March 10 Kansas Republican Presidential Caucus.
The caucus will be called to order at 10 a.m. on March 10. Actual times may differ from one location to another, according to the Kansas GOP information.
“Each caucus location will determine when it will open doors to start credentialing voters. Sites anticipating small attendance may open around 9:30 a.m., while larger attendance sites may open as early as 8:30.”
The local caucus will be held in the Great Bend High School auditorium.
After the caucus, it will be less than a month until the next event, the local elections April 3.
City council elections will be held in Great Bend, Hoisington and Ellinwood.
Great Bend filings include:
Ward 1 Councilman Bill Berryman did not file for reelection, according to City Clerk Wayne Henneke.
AnFiling in Ward 1 were Nels Lindberg and Jan Farmer.
In Ward 2, Incumbent Councilman Joel Jackson will be challenged by Marty Keenan.
Incumbent Ward 3 Councilman Ken Roberts will be challenged by Thomas Boor.
And Ward 4 Councilman Randy Myers is unchallenged.
In the Hoisington council race, filings include:
Ward 1, Nancy D. Farmer and Paul J. Mater; Ward 2, James E. Sekavec; Ward 3, Karen Van Brimmer; and Ward 4, Christopher L. Price and Brian K. Wilborn.
In the Ellinwood council race, three at large positions will be filled and filings include: Kirk Clawson, Kathleen Marie Hines, Branden Rapp, and Rick L. Wilson.
There is also one at large position to be filled in the Ellinwood Hospital District election. The only filing was Richard F. Kimple.
After the city elections are over, preparations begin for the next event, the August state primary.
Zimmerman reported that candidates for the Aug. 7 state primary have until noon on June 11 to file for office.
Zimmerman explained the Kansas Legislature changed this date this past year to provide a longer time for filings.
It previously would have been a June 1 deadline, but that was changed to June 10, and, since June 10 is a Sunday, that deadline was extended to the next business day, which is June 11.
The August primary is the first step for those filing for county, state and township positions. To appear on the November general election ballot, they must appear first on the primary ballot, except for those candidates who file as independents.
Zimmerman explained that independent candidates must be filed by the day before the Aug. 7 primary, to appear on the general election ballot in November.
County offices that will appear on the August primary ballot include county commission district 2, currently held by Homer Kruckenberg, county commission district 3, currently held by John Edmonds; county sheriff; county attorney; county clerk; county treasurer; register of deeds; and judges,
Township trustees and treasurers will also be on the primary ballot.
Also to appear in the August election will be precint committee people, however those will be decided in August, rather than carrying over to November, Zimmerman explained.
All of the rest will carry over to the November 6 general election, which will be the next hurdle for the election office this year, Zimmerman noted.