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| JEROME A. POLLOS/Press Bob Ries uses a cart to deliver supplies to polling station managers Monday at the Kootenai County Elections Office in Coeur d'Alene in preparation for today's general election. |
Official expects turnout between 30-35 percent
Time to get out and exercise your rights.
Election day is here, and polls are open around Kootenai County for several elections, including cities, fire districts and the county jail expansion proposal.
Voter turnout is expected to be higher than usual, predicted Elections Supervisor Deedie Beard, who hopes to see between 30 and 35 percent of registered voters fill out a ballot.
The November 2007 election turnout was around 23 percent, Beard added.
"I think all the candidates are working real hard, and of course that's what brings out the vote," she said. "I just hope people get out and vote. These are the issues that affect us immediately, right here in our county."
County residents can speed up the process by voting at their regular polling places, she said, which they can find at the county Web site: www.kcgov.us/elections/.
They can also call the county Elections Office at 446-1030.
Significant issues at stake include two measures to fund the expansion of the county jail, which has been over capacity for several years.
The ballot questions include a $57,670,000 general obligation bond, and a half-cent local sales tax over the next 10 years to repay the bond.
This is the final year for the local sales tax option, which expires Dec. 31st.
Both measures require a supermajority of 66 and two-thirds percent of the vote to pass.
The expansion would more than double the beds in the facility on Government Way, and expand cafeteria and laundry facilities.
An important issue for Post Falls voters is the option of consolidating the city's library into the Kootenai-Shoshone Library District.
If approved with a simple majority vote, the library will become part of the district on Oct 1, 2010.
The city estimates its residents would pay roughly half of what they currently are for their library service if the proposal passes.
Using 2008 tax revenues, the owner of a $150,000 home (after homeowner's exemption) pays $31.35 for the service per year and would pay an estimated $16.14 under the district. The owner of a $250,000 home pays $60.82 and would pay an estimated $25.32 under the district.
The city will continue to own the building, constructed in 1999, until a 15-year bond is paid off until 2014. The district would become responsible for facility maintenance and repairs in 2010 and take ownership in 2014. However, should the district decide to not use the building in the future, it would revert to the city.
The city would retain ownership of the land.
Information about the rest of today's elections is listed below.
In Coeur d'Alene, the mayor and three city council seats are up for election:
Candidates for mayor:
Incumbent Sandi Bloem
Joseph Kunka
Council seat 2:
Jim Brannon
Incumbent Mike Kennedy
Council seat 4:
Steve Adams
Incumbent Woody McEvers
Council seat 6:
Incumbent Deanna Goodlander
Dan Gookin.
The Post Falls election includes mayor and three council seats:
Candidates for mayor:
Matthew Behringer
Steven Degon
Incumbent Clay Larkin
Council seat 2:
Keith Hutcheson
Incumbent Ronald G. Jacobson
Council seat 4:
Incumbent Joe Bodman
Betty Ann Henderson
Council seat 6:
Bob E. Flowers
Incumbent Linda Wilhem
In Hayden, two council seats are up for election:
Candidates for council seat 2, currently held by Anson Gable, who is not running:
Richard (Dick) C. Panabaker
George Schultze
Council seat 4:
Incumbent Jeri DeLange
Jana Regnere
In Rathdrum, two council seats are up for election:
Candidates for council seat 1, currently held by Dan Tesulov, who is not running:
Richard Moser
Mark Worthen
Council seat 3:
Bert Haight
Incumbent Ken Hayes
Paula Laws
In Spirit Lake, the mayor and two council seats are up for election:
Candidates for mayor:
Todd Clary
Bill Erickson
Shelley Tschida
Candidates for the two council seats (which aren't numbered), currently held by Todd Clary and Bill Erickson:
Diane Berg
Lonnie "Sarge" Brookshire
Jimmy Brown Jr.
Doug Freeland
Becki Gaddum
Jeffrey Jarvis
Ken Johnson
Roxy Martin, current Spirit Lake mayor
Other elections include the Northern Lakes Fire Protection District and Timberlake Fire District, in which only district residents may vote.
Huetter has two council positions open. Hauser Lake has the mayor position open, as well as two council seats. Fernan has one council seat open.
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