Incumbent Supreme Court justices Debra Stephens (left) and Mary Fairhurst stop by our executive office in the Legislative Building to file in person Monday morning.

Filing Week, that official kickoff of the 2014 campaign/election season, is under way.

Three incumbent Supreme Court justices, Charles Johnson, Mary Fairhurst and Debra Stephens, and U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene of the 1st District, were among those at the starting gate, registering in person at the Secretary of State’s Office in the Capitol.

Depending on the office sought, candidates are filing with the Secretary or with their county elections office.  Deadline is Friday.

Most candidates are expected to choose the option of filing online. Filings may also be mailed in.

Filing fees are 1 percent of one year’s salary for the office. Congressional filings are $1,740; Legislature, $421.06; Supreme Court, $1,675.05; Court of Appeals, $1,594.55; and Superior Court, $1,518.09.

Lot drawings are held at the conclusion of Filing Week to determine ballot order by office.

There are 162 state offices open for filing – 66 with OSOS and 96 filed at the counties. Many locales have offices on the ballot as well, including 24 of the 39 county auditors. Thousands more slots are available for precinct committee officers, all filing locally.

Secretary of State Kim Wyman and state Elections Director Lori Augino said Filing Week fires up candidates and their teams, as well as the elections community.  Said Wyman:

“This is when it really starts to feel real.”

Augino said she’s hoping for a bumper crop of great candidates this week, as well as broad public interest in the 2014 campaigns. She added:

“Since this is a mid-term election, voter interest is typically less than in the presidential/gubernatorial election year like we’ll have in 2016. But we have a great many important offices to elect and in the General Election, we will also have significant ballot propositions to decide, including the two competing gun initiatives.”

U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene (left) of the 1st Congressional District smiles as she files for re-election. Elections Division staffer Libby Nieland (right) processes DelBene’s filing.