Constitution party ballot to be issued

SANDPOINT - A third ballot will be available to Bonner and Boundary county voters when they head to the polls for the May 20 primary election.

The presence of two Constitution party candidates in the race for District 1 state senator is prompting the issuance of a Constitution Party ballot to voters.

Christian Fioravanti of Bonners Ferry and Jack Mervin of Blanchard are both seeking the Constitution party's nomination. Danielle Ahrens and incumbent Shawn Keough are vying for the Republican nomination.

There are no declared Democrat candidates in the District 1 race.

The Constitution party's bedrock platform is the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Bible. It advocates for fiscal conservatism and opposes abortion.

The Constitution party primary ballot is available to unaffiliated voters and those who are already affiliated with that party. Voters already affiliated with other parties will not have access to the Constitution party ballot because the deadline to change affiliations has already lapsed.

"We want to let the public know that if they have already requested, or wish to request, an absentee ballot for the Constitutional party, let our office know," said Bonner County Clerk Ann Dutson-Sater, a Democrat who faces Republican Michael Rosedale in the Nov. 4 general election.

The Bonner County Clerk's Office can be reached at 265-1437.