A former county council member, an ex-county elections superintendent and a state senator whose district includes Black Diamond are among the candidates hoping to be picked by voters as King County’s elected head of elections.

In all, six people filed their candidacies last week. A special election is scheduled for Feb. 3 for the newly created office.

Voters last fall approved a change in the county charter to make the director of the elections department an elected official. The position has been an appointed one.

The current appointed director, Sherril Huff (she’s held the post since April 2007), is among the candidates who signed up during a three-day filing period last week. The others are:

• David Irons, who was a council member before losing an election bid for county executive in 2005.

• Julie Anne Kempf, who was fired from her job as an elections supervisor during controversy over how the county mailed absentee ballots for the November 2002 election.

• Pam Roach, a state senator from the 31st District.

• Bill Anderson, an Auburn resident.

• Christopher Clifford, a Renton resident who has launched attempted recalls of several elected officials, including Valley Medical Center commissioners.

Voters in last month’s general election approved Charter Amendment 1’s call for making the elections director an elected position. The amendment emerged from controversies in recent years over the administration of elections and calls by citizen groups for the elections director to have direct accountability to voters. Currently, the position is appointed by the county executive and council.

Voters also approved Charter Amendment 4, which allows the council to set requirements for the officeholder, including that the person can’t also have that job – which will have an annual salary of $146,000 – and an official position in a political party at the same time. In addition, the elected director of elections also can’t have worked for or have a personal financial interest in any non-governmental company that makes or sells election equipment for one year immediately before running for or holding the elections director post. The position also requires becoming certified as an elections administrator within 30 months of taking office. The certification must come from the Washington secretary of state, the top elections official for the state.

“Voters who want an elected elections director have signaled they want the officeholder to be qualified and free of any partisan or commercial loyalties,” said Councilwoman Julia Patterson. “These simple requirements will help ensure public confidence in that office.”