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PRIMARY PLAYERS

by Brian Walker; Staff Writer
| March 10, 2018 12:00 AM

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Sims

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Bingham

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Duncan

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Sommer

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Okuniewicz

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Green

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Barbieri

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Wiedenhoff

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Wisniewski

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Pereira

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Henderson

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Leroy

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Fulcher

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Perry

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Snyder

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Schroeder

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Hansen

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Brooks

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Kohles

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Eberlein

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Malek

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Souza

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McLain

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Miranda

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Vick

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Matheson

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Brannon

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Keene

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Houser

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Cheatham

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Hanks

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Mendive

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English

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Addis

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Hanks

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Amador

COEUR d'ALENE — A five-way race for a county commission seat, seven-way race for Congress, Northern Lakes Fire District levy and other contested races at the state and county levels will pack the May 15 primary ballot.

The filing deadline for candidates' names to be on the ballot was Friday night. The deadline to file as a write-in candidate is April 17.

“Since the mailing for absentee ballots begins March 30, write-in candidates should file as soon as possible,” said Jennifer Locke, Kootenai County's chief deputy clerk.

Early in-person voting at the county elections office on Third Street in Coeur d'Alene runs from April 30 to May 11. Election Day voting is 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Here is what the primary ballot will feature:

KOOTENAI COUNTY RACES

In the commissioner race for District 3, a seat held by Bob Bingham that includes Athol, Rathdrum, Hayden and part of Coeur d'Alene and will be a four-year seat, five Republicans will compete in the primary.

Those candidates include Bingham, Leslie Duncan, Russell McLain, Luke Sommer and Robert Thornton.

Duncan finished second to Bingham by 69 votes in a four-way race for the seat two years ago, while McLain ran for the seat in the general election as an independent.

Bingham announced he'd seek re-election and officially filed on Friday.

Ruben Miranda was the lone Democrat to file for the seat.

In the commissioner race for District 1, which includes part of Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Hauser, consumer advocate Bill Brooks will challenge incumbent and fellow Republican Marc Eberlein.

While commission candidates must live in their district to seek election to that seat, voting for county races is countywide.

Republican candidates for treasurer (Steven Matheson), clerk (Jim Brannon), coroner (Warren Keene) and assessor (Richard Houser) did not draw any opponents for the primary election.

STATE LEGISLATIVE RACES

- In District 2 (Hayden/Dalton Gardens), Doug Okuniewicz and John Green will battle for the Republican nomination for the House B seat held by Eric Redman. Richard Kohles and Alanna Brooks will view for the Democrat nomination.

Incumbent Vito Barbieri will be challenged by fellow Republican Fritz Wiedenhoff for the House A seat. Maria Andrews was the lone Democrat to file.

Incumbent Steve Vick was the lone Republican candidate to file for the district's Senate seat, while Dale Broadsword was the lone Democrat.

- In District 3 (Post Falls/Coeur d'Alene), Republican Don Cheatham and Democrat Patrick Lippert were the only candidates to file for the Senate seat currently held by Bob Nonini. Cheatham currently serves in the House.

Incumbent Ron Mendive was the lone candidate to file for the House A seat.

Republicans Kathy Sims and Tony Wisniewski will run for the district's House B seat now held by Cheatham. Dan Hanks was the lone Democrat to file for the seat.

- In District 4 (Coeur d'Alene), Republican incumbent Mary Souza will be challenged for her Senate seat by Michael Pereira. Democrat Cory Jane English also filed for the position.

For the House A seat currently held by Luke Malek, Republican Jim Addis and Democrats Rebecca Schroeder and Janie Hansen were those who filed.

For the House B seat, Republican incumbent Paul Amador will be challenged in the primary by Roger Garlock. Shem Hanks was the lone Democrat to file.

CONGRESS-DISTRICT 1 HOUSE

Republicans who filed for the seat currently held by Raul Labrador, who is running for governor, include Malek, Nick Henderson, David Leroy, Russ Fulcher, Christy Perry, Alex Gallegos and Michael Snyder.

Democrat candidates will be Michael Smith, Christina McNeil and James Vandermaas.

NORTHERN LAKES FIRE LEVY

Northern Lakes Fire District, which covers Hayden, Rathdrum, Garwood and Hayden Lake, will float a permanent tax levy override election.

"We are asking our district constituents to approve an additional $1.2 million in annual property tax levy for the Northern Lakes Fire District," Chief Pat Riley said.

Riley said the reason for the funding request is to add nine firefighters/paramedics to staff a third fire station in Garwood based on increased calls for service and growth. The station will be a remodel.

The increased levy amount would be used only for hiring additional personnel. The district has already budgeted for the station renovation, expected to cost between $250,000 and $400,000, and there is no need to purchase any new land.

"Based on current year figures, we estimate the increase to our citizens would be $32.87 per $100,000 of assessed value per year, which breaks down to $2.74 per $100,000 of assessed value per month," Riley said.

He said the estimate is based on this year's data, and the district can't predict what the actual increase will be until it knows what its fiscal 2019 budget will be and the district's entire net assessed market value will be next fall.

Riley said the district's call volume has increased 53.25 percent over the past 10 years. It had a record 4,924 total calls for service last year with the district's two stations. Nearly 1,100 times last year, it had multiple calls occurring at once.

A super-majority vote (66.67 percent approval) is needed for the proposal to pass.

For more information on the primary election, visit http://www.kcgov.us/elections/.