Only one local race on November ballot

By Don Nelson

Ballots will be in the mail soon to Okanogan County residents for the Nov. 3 general election. The voting period begins Friday (Oct. 16).

Friday is also the final day to file as a write-in candidate for the November election. Oct. 26 is the last day for in-person registration. The deadline has passed for online registration.

Unless write-in candidates emerge, only one local elected office will be contested — a seat on the board of commissioners for Okanogan County Fire District 6 — in general election voting this year. With few exceptions, familiar names will dominate the ballot.

In District 6, incumbent Commissioner Roy Reiber will be challenged by Les V. Stokes of Twisp for position No. 1 to fill a six-year term.

Also on the ballot:

• Incumbent Jerry R. Tretwold is the only candidate for Hospital District No. 1 (Three Rivers Hospital) commissioner position No. 2 (at large), a six-year term.

• In the Town of Twisp, Mayor Soo Ing-Moody filed to fill another four-year term; incumbent Aaron Studen filed to fill council position No. 2, a two-year unexpired term; incumbent Traci Day filed for council position No. 3, a four-year term; incumbent John Fleming is the only candidate for council position No. 4, a four-year term; and former council member Hans Smith filed to fill a four-year term in council position No. 5, now held by Dwight Filer, who chose not to run for re-election. However, Day announced this week that she is resigning from the council and will not serve if re-elected.

• In the Town of Winthrop, incumbent Gaile Bryant-Cannon filed for re-election in council position No. 3, a four-year term; incumbent Jessica Sheehan filed for council position No. 4, a short- and four-year term; and Anne Acheson filed to fill council position No. 5, a short- and four-year term. That position is now held by Vern Herrst, who was appointed earlier this year. He chose not to run for election.

• In the Methow Valley School District, Judith Hardmeyer-Wright will run to fill board position No. 1, currently held by Don Calvert, who did not file for re-election. Incumbent Mary Ann Quigley filed for re-election to board position No. 3, a four-year term; and incumbent Frank Kline filed for re-election to board position No. 5 (at large), a four-year term.

• In Cemetery District No. 1, incumbent Susie Gardner is the only candidate for board of commissioners position No. 3, a six-year term.

• In Cemetery District No. 2, incumbent Carol Gaston is the only candidate for board of commissioners position No. 1, a six-year term.

The current offices typically expire Dec. 31 and new or re-elected officials take office Jan. 1, 2016.

Also on the ballot are two levy requests to support Three Rivers Hospital. The hospital district will ask voters to approve a levy lid lift and an excess levy. The levy lid lift would increase the ceiling on taxes paid to the district, and the excess levy would provide for a one-time collection in 2016 on all taxable property within the hospital district.

There are two statewide ballot initiatives on the ballot as well. Initiative 1366 would decrease the sales tax rate unless the Legislature refers to voters a constitutional amendment requiring two-thirds legislative approval or voter approval to raise taxes, and legislative approval for fee increases. Initiative 1401 would make selling, purchasing, trading, or distributing certain animal species threatened with extinction, and products containing such species, a gross misdemeanor or class-C felony, with exemptions for certain types of transfers.

In-person registration can be done at the county auditor’s office, 149 Third Ave. N., Room 104, in Okanogan. The office will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. so voters can obtain replacement ballots, drop off voted ballots, obtain provisional ballots, or use accessible voting units. On Election Day only, the office will be open until 8 p.m.

Ballot drop boxes will be at three locations: the Tonasket City Hall/Library Complex; in Omak next to the police station; and in the Pateros Mall parking lot. Drop boxes will close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Mailed ballots require sufficient first class postage and must be postmarked by the day of the election.

For more information, call (509) 422-7240 or visit www.okanogancounty.org.