August will feature local primary elections in Pullman with a notable number of candidates participating. Candidate filing concluded on Friday, resulting in 20 individuals vying for three Pullman City Council seats, with no incumbents seeking re-election.

The most contested race is for the seat being vacated by Megan Guido, which has attracted nine candidates: V. Shae Ortega, Michele Utzman, Frederico Bartolo III, Tom Thompson, Tawny Szumlas, John Casselman, Collin Bannister, Karl Olsen, and Dave Gibney.

For the seat left open by Trymaine Gaither, seven candidates have filed: Randy Cross, Cindy Kothandaraman, John-Mark Mahnkey, Bryan MacDonald, James Pitzer, Holly Greystone, and Bobbie Bennett-Wolcott.

Four candidates are competing for the seat being vacated by Carla De Lira, namely DiDi Lubash, Trevor Vance, Edwin Gianini, and William McGaughey. Andie Freeman had initially filed for this race but withdrew on Friday.

The Pullman School Board races will also include primary elections. School board Chair Nathan Roberts has opted not to seek re-election, with Ben Emerson, Hannah Martian, and Deena Bayoumi filing for that position. Trustee Amanda Tanner has filed for re-election and will face competition from Teena Edwards, Brandon Kruger, and Stephanie Horn.

The top two vote-getters from the five Pullman August primaries for city council and school board will advance to the November general election.

In the Pullman Regional Hospital Commissioners race, all candidates, Joe Pitzer, Shane McFarland, Anna Nofsinger, and Michael Cady, filed without any challengers and will return to office.

Karl Webber has been re-elected as the Port of Whitman County Commissioner as well, with no other candidates filing for that position.

Additionally, there will be a primary in the only other countywide race in Whitman County this year. Recently appointed County Commissioner Chad Whetzel will compete against Cody Finch from Pullman and Tucker Senter from the Palouse area in the August run-off, which will feature all Republican candidates.