Washington residents who are thinking about running for some local office this year had better make up their minds quickly. It's almost time to spit or get off the spot.

Next week is filing week. From the time the county courthouse doors open Monday morning until 5 p.m. next Friday, a would-be office holder can walk in, fill out a form and, if the job pays more than a grand, plunk down his or her filing fee to get a spot on the Aug. 18 primary ballot.

Those who want to avoid the long lines at county elections offices . . . and Spin Control is being facetious here, generally speaking . . . can file online.

Most offices this year are non partisan. But there is a partisan legislative race in Eastern Washington's 9th District, where Don Cox was appointed to a seat that became open by the death of Steve Hailey but decided not to run. The 9th will have a Top 2 primary, which means the first and second finishers go on to the Nov. 3 general election, regardless of party.

That's the way it is in nonpartisan races, anyway. No matter how many get into the primary, the two with the most votes move on to the general election.

Who's got elections this fall in Spokane County? Go inside the blog for the list.

The cities and towns

Spokane: 3 council seats and 3 municipal court seats

Spokane Valley: 4 council seats

Airway Heights: 5 council seats

Cheney: Mayor and 3 council seats

Deer Park: Mayor and 2 council seats

Fairfiled: Mayor and 4 council seats

Latah: Mayor and 4 council seats

Liberty Lake: 3 council seats

Medical Lake: Mayor and 4 council seats

Millwood: Mayor and 4 council seats

Rockford: Mayor and 2 council seats

Spangle: 2 council seats

Waverly: Mayor and 4 council seats

The school district board seats
Central Valley: 2
Cheney: 2
Deer Park: 2
East Valley: 3
Freeman:3
Great Northern: 2
Liberty: 3
Mead: 2
Medical Lake: 2
Newport: 3
Nine Mile Falls:2
Orchard Prairie: 2
Reardan-Edwall: 3
Riverside: 2:
Rosalia: 2
Spokane Distrrict 81: 2
St. John: 2
Tekoa: 2
West Valley: 3

Plus 11 Fire Districts, 10 Water Districts, 6 Cemetery Districts, 2 Sewer Districts, 6 Cemetery Districts, and a Park District (but no pear tree)

For the specific seat numbers or districts and filing fees where needed, click here.

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