Another record-breaking election year

Kootenai County is gearing up for another busy election year as races on the November ballot see a record number of candidates. 

The countdown to the Nov. 2 election has begun as the deadline for candidates to file for office passed Friday at 5 p.m. 

Several city councils, mayoral, school board trustee and fire district commissioner slots are up for grabs. 

This year the office is seeing more applications for the same office than in several years, Clerk Jim Brannon said. He recalled in 2017 when the Coeur d'Alene City Council was entirely uncontested candidates. This year Coeur d'Alene City Council Seat 4 has four names in the running. 

"I think people are taking a more active interest in their local government," Brannon said.

"I'm sure everyone has their reasons. Some people are excited as to what their city is doing and want it to continue," he added. "There are also probably those disgruntled with what their cities are doing and want to attempt to change it."

On Elections Office employee desks Friday afternoon was a stack of applications an inch thick, and more were pouring in from districts around the county. 

"It's going to be a good ol' busy election time," Brannon said. 

Under Idaho Senate Bill 1270, which passed in the 2020 session, city races with only one candidate do not have to be on the ballot. Following the write-in deadline on Sept. 10, Brannon said the county would know what offices are uncontested. 

The last day for a candidate to withdraw is Friday, Sept. 17, at 5 p.m. 

At 5 p.m. on Friday, Kootenai County had 101,972 registered voters — 59,182 Republicans, 11,901 Democrats, and 30,879 unaffiliated.   

"We broke the 100,000 voters threshold for the first time last year," Chief Deputy Clerk Jennifer Locke said. 

While the registered number of voters is higher than ever, Brannon said he doesn't expect the same turnout level as the general election in 2020. 

"Many people vote every four years, and that is it," he said. 

Voters must register by Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. to participate in the November election. Virtual registration is available at voteidaho.gov.   

So far, 6,441 residents have requested an absentee ballot — more than double the 3,211 sent out by the Elections Office in 2019.

Citizens can request an absentee ballot until Oct. 22 at voteidaho.gov or download the form at kcgov.us/301/Absentee-Voting. All mail-in submissions must be returned to the Elections Office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

"It must be in at 8 p.m. Not 8:01 p.m., not 8:05 p.m., not 8 p.m. and 18 seconds," Brannon said.

Early voting is available from Oct. 18 to Oct. 29 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Coeur d'Alene Elections Office. Polling places will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. To find your polling place, visit kcgov.us/321/Polling-Place-Look-Up.

Same-day registration and voting are available on Election Day at a polling place. 

City candidates as of 5 p.m. Friday: 

Athol City Council

Seat 1 — Mark Dane, Mary J. Zichko, Stephen Cutaiair*

Seat 2 — Darla Knickerbocker Kuhman, Jeanette Kramer* 

Seat 3 — Cindi Denis*

Seat 4 — Shane D. McDaniel*, Tammy Porter 

Coeur d'Alene Mayor 

Jim Hammond

Joe Alfieri 

Michael Lentz 

Coeur d’Alene City Council 

Seat 2 — Amy Evans*, Morgan Dixon, Roger Garlock 

Seat 4 — Grayson L. Cross, JD Calridge, KC Reese, Woody McEvers* 

Seat 6 — Elaine Price, Kiki Miller* 

City of Dalton Gardens Council, two seats 

Carrie Chase, Curt Jernigan, Justin Rupinski, Ray Craft, Scott (Scooter) Jordan, Susan J. Supp, Tyler Drechsel 

City of Fernan Lake Village Council

No applications for the council as of Sept. 3

City of Harrison

No applications for Mayor and council as of Sept. 3 

City of Hauser Council, two seats

Sean Taylor, Tammara McGovern 

City of Hayden Council

Seat 2 — Ed DePriest, Nicole Barnett, Richard 'Dick' Panabaker*

Seat 4 — Jeri DeLange*, Sandy White 

City of Hayden Lake Council 

Seat 2 — Dan Baker*

Seat 4 — Debbie Morris

City of Huetter

No applications for the council as of Sept. 3

City of Post Falls Mayor 

Austin Hildebrand 

Bobby Wilhelm 

Daniel Temple

Ronald G. Jacobson*

City of Post Falls Council 

Seat 2 — Alan Wolfe*, Josh Walker, Louis Reuter 

Seat 4 — Bob Flowers, Nathan L. Ziegler, Steve Anthony* 

Seat 6 — Eric Klinkhammer, Kenny Shove, Linda Wilhelm*, Lori Allen, Tara Polley 

City of Rathdrum Council 

Seat 1 — Darrell Rickard*, Matt Spindler, Neil G. Oliver, Yevgeniy Pinchuk 

Seat 3 — John Hodgkins, Kurt Schwab, Michael Fox 

City of Spirit Lake

No applications for Mayor and council 

City of State Line

No applications for Mayor and council as of Sept. 3

City of Worley

No applications for the council as of Sept. 3 

Fire District candidates as of 5 p.m. Friday:

East Side

Sub District 1 — Fred Fricke*

Sub District 3 — Akos Ador*

Hauser Lake

Sub District 3 — Michael "Shane" Kamps*

Kootenai County Fire and Rescue

Sub District 3 — Andy Boyle*, Shawn Smidt 

Sub District 4 — Keither "Hutch" Hutcheson, Paul R. Wagner* 

Sub District 5 — Gerald Johnson, Michael Hunt* 

Mica Kidd Island 

Sub District 3 — Larry Mundt*

Northern Lakes 

Sub District 1 — John Horn, Michael Pearce* 

Sub District 3 — Dennis L. Amende*, Marc Ghiraduzzi 

Sub District 5 — Doug Duncan, Terry J. Thompson* 

Spirit Lake 

Sub District 2 — Gary A. Pfahler 

St. Maries

Sub District 1 — Kevin M. McHail*

Sub District 2 — No applications as of Sept. 3

Timberlake 

Sub District 2 — M. Melanie Savage*

Sub District 4 — David "Rudy" Rudebaugh*

Sub District 5 — Sam Rick Conner*, Todd Amende 

Worley 

Sub District 2 — Gary Drechsel*

Sub District 3 — Edward M. Joy*

School District candidates as of 5 p.m. Friday:

Coeur d'Alene #271 

Zone 1 — Allie Anderton, Annie Winston Poetker, Lisa May* 

Zone 4 — Jeff Zember, Jennifer K. Brumley*, Lesli Bjerke, Lindsey Swingrover

Zone 5 — Glen Campbell, Rebecca Smith* 

Lakeland Joint #272

Zone 4 — Chrisdee Imthum, David M. Quimby, Mark Worthen 

Zone 5 — Debbie Major*, Robert (Bob) F. Jones

Post Falls #273

Zone 1 — Dave Paul*, Guy McAninch, Lori Wilson, Neil Uhrig, Tana Wrublik

Zone 4 — Bridget Malek*, Chrystal White, Logan Creighton 

Zone 5 — David J. Reilly, Jake Dawson, Lyndon Harriman, Megan Rounds 

Kootenai Joint No. 273

Zone 1 — Heather Wilcox*, Richard Meyer

Zone 4 — Ellie Getchius, Tina McGann, Vicki Haney 

Zone 5 — Cheri Thaut, Thomas Reinhardt*

Plummer-Worley Joint No. 44

Zone 1 — Michelle Grossglauser

Zone 3 — Ida J. Gustin (JR)

*indicates incumbents 

Elections Office Info: 208-446-1030, www.kcgov.us/31/Elections