Gwen Johnson waves goodbye from the Amador County Elections Department to those who didn't file by the 5 p.m. deadline Friday. Photo by: Jerry Budrick

With only 84 days until the Nov. 4 election, many local races are about to intensify.

Quite a few incumbents have decided to call it quits, some former office-holders are seeking a return to public life and at least one local politico is trying to change hats this year.

In a majority of the contests, filing for candidacy closed Friday at 5 p.m. As a result, it's known, for instance, that Gloria Stoddard will once again be the city clerk of Plymouth. No one chose to oppose her for the position and she filed her papers for re-election as the incumbent.

The election process in Amador County is as basic as having more votes cast for one candidate than any other, provided that the number of votes adds up to 50 percent plus one. Where things begin to get a little tricky is in closing the application window.

This is how it works: if any incumbent office holder failed to file for re-election by Friday at 5 p.m., the filing deadline for that particular office was extended until 5 p.m., Wednesday.

Debbie Smith and Gwen Johnson kept the Amador County Elections Department window open on Friday until exactly 5. The clanking of the roll-down window sounded the end of the mayoral careers of Amador City's Richard Lynch and Jackson's Rosalie Pryor Escamilla. At least for now.

Sometimes mayors mount a comeback attempt. Jackson's former mayor, Keith Sweet, who didn't file any papers by 5 on Friday, was granted an extension by Escamilla's decision not to file. Sweet was observed on Friday night gathering signatures that will allow him to join the expanding field of candidates for seats on the Jackson City Council. If he files, Sweet will be at least the sixth candidate for the three seats available on the council.

There are 17 separate local races on the ballot for Nov. 4. Of those, six have been extended.

The six races that remain open for additional candidates are: Amador County Unified School District Board of Trustees; Amador Water Agency Board of Directors for District 3; Amador City City Council; Jackson City Council; Sutter Creek City Council; and city clerk of Jackson.

Andrea Bonham, incumbent mayor of Ione, has filed for re-election. "There are some things that we started," Bonham said, "and I'd like to see them finished."

Included in the unfinished business is an Ione General Plan update. "We've hired a consultant and we're looking at the whole thing all at once," Bonham explained. "We just had our first public input meeting."

For Bonham, four years was simply not enough. "The first year, you're dealing with what came before you," she enumerated, "and the second year, all that stuff is finishing up. The third year, you start working on what you want and, in the fourth year, things actually start happening and start to move."

Lynch, on the other hand, decided that eight years is definitely enough. "I'm following the example that George Washington set," he said. "Two terms is enough."

Lynch is hopeful for his tiny, hometown city's future. By leaving room for others, he feels that more residents might step up. "The more people who participate in the process, the better off we all are."

There is plenty of unfinished business in Amador City. With the bypass firmly established and negotiations complete for relinquishment of old Highway 49, the city now controls the future of its main street and its bridge over Amador Creek. Sort of.

With $2 million in federal funding "in the bank," the bridge replacement project and any changes to Main Street that accompany it would appear to be a slam dunk. There is, however, a little pothole in the road. "The feds left Caltrans involved with the bridge project," Lynch lamented. This means that all plans are subject to the state Department of Transportation and its lengthy, labyrinthine approval process.

As the situation stood at 5 on Friday, there were only two candidates to fill the four seats available on the Amador City City Council. Council member Aaron Brusatori is the only incumbent who filed for re-election.

The only other candidate, Michael Vasquez, will be running unopposed for an available 2-year term. "I'm looking forward to serving with the council, cleaning up the vacant lots that are fire hazards, helping the merchants and doing whatever I can do," Vasquez said. "I'm not trying to unseat anybody. There's a vacancy and I have some ideas."

The Amador Water Agency Board of Directors is facing the possibility of major changes to its composition. Four of its five seats are on the ballot - two for two years and two for four years.

District 3 incumbent Dave Thomas did not file for re-election, so the deadline for filing for that seat has been extended. Two candidates have emerged so far: Don Cooper and Joseph Bonini.

District 4 incumbent Paul Scott will be facing considerable competition from two candidates well known in their respective areas of what is arguably Amador County's most diverse district.

Sutter Creek council member and former mayor Brent Parsons decided not to file for re-election to his council seat. He has chosen to seek a position on the AWA board, which will be wrestling with many issues familiar to Parsons.

The other candidate is Upcountry activist Debbie Dunn. "I think everything is in a state of change - the county and the state. We need new ideas and new people and we need to represent the rest of the people," she said.

Over in Plymouth, there will be a sense of electoral deja vu as well. Both Gary Colburn and Darlene Estey, remembered for their 2004 recalls, will try again in November. As of now, they will be joined by Maria Simon-Nunez and three incumbents, one of whom is Gary's brother, Jon.

"I totally disagree with my brother on 100 percent of the matter," Gary said, one of those issues being his support for a casino in Plymouth. Gary said he'd also look into the consultant and attorney fees the city pays.

Calling Amador County a diamond with five facets, he added that one of those facets - Plymouth - is a community in decline and one where dysfunction reigns.

The countdown continues. Final filings will be done in plenty of time for Friday's Ledger Dispatch.

Raheem Hosseini contributed to this report.