A total of 13 candidates are vying for three positions on the county board of supervisors which are up for election this year.
In two of those three positions, incumbents are seeking to return to the board.
In the First District, where Brad Mitzelfelt is supervisor, seven candidates are looking to replace him. Mitzelfelt, who has been supervisor since being appointed to replace Bill Postmus in 2007 and was elected in his own right in 2008, will vacate the supervisor’s post at the end of this current term. He has chosen to run for Congress in the recently redrawn 8th Congressional District.
The First District counts the cities of Adelanto, Hesperia, Victorville, Needles, the township of  Apple Valley and much of the Mojave Desert, including the communities of Trona, Newberry Springs, Daggett, Landers, Essex, Danby, Amboy, Bolo Station, Cadiz, Hinkley and Ft. Irwin as within its jurisdiction.
First District hopefuls this year include Hesperia Mayor Russ Blewett, Apple Valley Town Councilman Rick Roelle,  one time First District field representative Michael Orme, San Bernardino County fire captain Brett Henry, businessman Robert Lovingood, Jermaine Wright and Bob Smith.
Two individuals who earlier expressed interest in running for First District supervisor, deputy public defender and former Apple Valley mayor Mark Shoup and Phelan Pinon Hills Community Services District Board Member Ken Anderson, pulled papers to run for supervisor in the First District but have decided not to run.
In the Third District, Neil Derry, who was first elected to the board in 2008, is being challenged by James Ramos, the chief of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and Jim Bagley, the former mayor of Twentynine Palms.
The Third District covers the cities of Big Bear, Redlands, Loma Linda, Grand Terrace, Highland, Yucaipa, Twentynine Palms, a portion of San Bernardino and the township of Yucca Valley, and the communities of Mentone, Bryn Mawr, Forrest Falls and Angeles Oaks. Two others, Ken Hunter and Robert Wilson, contemplated running in the Third District but did not file candidate papers by the deadline.
Fifth District county supervisor Josie Gonzales, who has been on the board since 2004, will face two opponents in this year’s race.
James Taack and Silvia Marroquin filed candidate papers on March 9 to run in the Fifth District, which includes the cities of Rialto and Colton, portions of the cities of Fontana and San Bernardino, and the communities of Bloomington and Muscoy.
All three of the races will be held in June. In each race, if no single candidate captures a majority of the June vote, a runoff will be held between the two top vote-getters.