The Altus Times is presenting candidate profiles this week in the runup to the Democratic primary election July 27. The profiles have been submitted by the candidates themselves. Two candidates are vying for Kiowa County Commissioner District 2: incumbent Robert Boelte and Bruce Hoover.

Incumbent Robert Boelte, 54, lives on a farm with his wife Romona north of Lone Wolf. In 1974 he earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering at Oklahoma State University.

Boelte has been employed with Kiowa County since 1983 and has served as District 2 Commissioner since January 2, 1997. He is the chairman of the Kiowa County Board of Commissioners.

He also serves as a board member of the Kiowa County Health Department, Community Action Development Corporation, Circuit Engineering District 7, City of Hobart Economical Development, Tri-County Rural Development and Southwest Rural Development.

He is a member of Lone Wolf Lions Club, Lone Wolf Volunteer Fire Department and St. John's Lutheran Church in Lone Wolf.

Bruce Hoover, 54, is a lifelong resident of Hobart. In 1971 he graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in agriculture, and he currently works as a farmer and heavy equipment operator.

Hoover is experienced in building and maintaining water and soil conservation structures and as a truck driver. He has served on the USDA Farm Service Agency of Kiowa County, the Hobart Board of Education and the Kiowa County Farm Bureau Board of Directors. He was also president of the farm bureau.

If elected, Hoover vows to work for funding of county services with emphasis on rural development and to make county roads safe and adequate to meet the needs of agricultural equipment and for transportation, and to decrease roadside erosion.