This election is of primary importance
Casting your ballot on May 25 could do more than warm up your voting muscles for the big show in November.
Kootenai County voters will virtually elect six Republicans in contested primary races because they face no challengers in the general election this fall. That a majority of the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners will be chosen makes this primary election more interesting and important than most.
To be decided on May 25:
• Two of three Kootenai County Board of Commissioners seats are up for election this year. District 2 Commissioner Rick Currie is being challenged by Chris Fillios and Jai Nelson. District 3 Commissioner Rich Piazza faces challenges from Dan Green and Kevin Ratigan.
• In the Idaho Legislature, four local races will be determined. They are:
Senator District 2 — Incumbent Joyce Broadsword, Dennis Engelhardt and James Stivers
Senator District 3 — Incumbent Mike Jorgenson and Steve Vick
State Rep. District 3 Seat A (formerly held by Jim Clark) — Vito Barbieri, Jeri DeLange, Fred Meckel and Duane Rasmussen
State Senator District 5 — Incumbent Jim Hammond, John Green and Jack Schroeder
Those are the contested races whose outcomes will be determined in the primary. Shoo-ins who will appear on Republican ballots — incumbents who face no challengers in the primary or general election — include two county department heads, Assessor Mike McDowell and Treasurer Tom Malzahn. Local legislators who have no primary or general election opponents include Rep. Phil Hart, Rep. Bob Nonini and Rep. Frank Henderson. On the state level, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and Treasurer Ron Crane will informally be re-elected at the primary election stage.
The primary field is crowded for state and federal positions, too. Five Republicans are chasing the congressional seat held by Rep. Walt Minnick, and six Republicans are vying for the governor’s office. Even the lieutenant governor’s race is lively this spring, with three Republicans contending.
A frequent question asked of the newspaper is, why would anybody select a Democratic ballot for this primary election? It’s a fair question. No local races featuring Democratic candidates will be decided in the primary, and only a couple at the state or federal level feature more than one Democratic hopeful: William Bryk and P. Tom Sullivan are seeking Republican Mike Crapo’s seat in the U.S. Senate, and gubernatorial candidates Keith Allred and Lee R. Chaney Sr. are after the Democratic nomination.
You may select either a Republican or Democratic ballot regardless of your political affiliation. We urge you to use this guide and select the people you think will most competently represent you.
For much more election information, visit the following Web sites:
• cdapressEXTRA.com (for Press print subscribers only)
• co.kootenai.id.us/elections/ (Kootenai County Elections Department)
• http://lwvkcvoterguide.org/ (League of Women Voters of Kootenai County Voter guide)
• Questions about the primary election? Contact the Kootenai County Elections Department at 446-1030 or email kcelections@kcgov.us