The formal filing period for fall elections closed Friday, giving citizens a look at their choices for the campaign season.

While there are no local city council or school board races, voters on the Plateau and in the Valley still have plenty to pique their interest – aside from the nationwide drama of presidential politics.

Local voters will help select a full slate of statewide officials, a U.S. senator and a member of Congress. That’s in addition to an array of judicial posts and others that will appear on coming ballots.

The process will be whittled during the Aug. 2 top-two primary election, which will send the candidates with the greatest number of popular votes – No. 1 and No. 2 – to the Nov. 8 general election.

Of local interest is the race for 31st District seats in the state House of Representatives.

In Position 1, incumbent Drew Stokesbary, an Auburn Republican, has filed for another two-year term. He is being challenged by Edgewood’s John Frostad, who carries the Libertarian Party banner.

Position 2 creates interest because longtime incumbent Christopher Hurst is stepping aside after seven terms in the House. Democrats enjoy a slim majority in the House of Representatives and the state’s Republicans see this as an opportunity to narrow, or reverse, the situation.

Filing for the Position 2 seat, so far, are Independent Democrat Lane Walthers of Enumclaw and a trio of Republicans – Morgan Irwin of Enumclaw, Phil Fortunato of Auburn and Pablo Monroy of Sumner.

Pierce County residents will elect a new county executive and decide races for three county council seats.

An interesting twist is the addition of Pam Roach into the battle for the county council’s District 2 post. Already serving in the state Senate, she is looking to hold two elective offices simultaneously. Roach, a Republican, is joined in the field by Democrats Pat Jenkins of Puyallup and Carolyn Edmonds of Tacoma.

Bonney Lake resident Dan Roach – a former member of the state House and a current member of the county council – is one of four candidates who have filed for county executive. Others hoping to replace the outgoing Pat McCarthy are Democrat Rick Talbert of Tacoma and Republicans Larry Faulk, Steilacoom, and Bruce Dammeier, Puyallup.

Roach and Talbert presently sit on the Pierce County Council, each midway through a second and final term.

The mother/son pairing of Pam and Dan Roach previously served together in the state Legislature, the mother in the Senate and the son in the House.