First things first: Get registered
Ballots for the upcoming election started going out Oct. 15. They must be postmarked (mailing is free) or returned to an official election drop box by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 2. The last day to register online or by mail is Oct. 25, but voters can register in person up through Election Day.
Registered voters can check or update their addresses or other information at the state VoteWa portal. Voters can also use the portal to confirm their ballot has been accepted after returning it.
Voters can find a sample ballot of the candidates and issues appearing throughout the county here. They can also read the county-produced Official Voters Pamphlet here. The pamphlet includes candidate statements as well as arguments for and against local measures.
You can find a state-level online voters guide here.
LOCAL ISSUES
Emergency communications sales tax levy: County officials have proposed a 1/10th of a percent increase in sales taxes to collect about $700,000 a year for replacing and maintaining radio communication equipment for first responders. Read Whitman County Gazette coverage here. Read Pullman Radio News coverage here. A citizen’s group in support of the tax increase also has information online here.
Pullman Regional Hospital district expansion: The hospital board has proposed expanding its taxing district outside the city limits of Pullman to include nearby county residents who live within the Pullman School District boundaries. Read information here on the details of the proposal from the hospital. Read coverage on the proposal from the Lewiston Tribune here.
CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRES
Whitman County Watch emailed questionnaires on local issues to 27 candidates in Pullman, Colfax and Palouse city council and hospital board races. We have published the unedited answers at the links below. If a question is empty, the candidate did not provide a response. Many candidates did not respond or declined while others responded, but have yet to provide answers. If other candidates would like to have their answers included in this guide, contact us at: whitmancowatch@gmail.com.
Pullman City Council:
Francis A. Benjamin, Ward 1, Challenger
Al (Alan) Sorensen, Ward 1, Incumbent (Did not respond)
Dan Records, Ward 2, Incumbent/Uncontested (Did not respond)
Megan Guido, Ward 3, Open seat/Uncontested
Pullman Regional Hospital Board:
Tricia Grantham, Pos. 4, Incumbent
Reid West, Pos. 4, Challenger
Jeff Elbracht, Pos. 7, Uncontested
Pullman School Board:
Whitman County Watch did not send questionnaires to candidates in this race, but you can read recent Moscow-Pullman Daily News coverage here and watch a replay of the recent League of Women Voters of Pullman public forum here.
Colfax City Council:
Blaine Golden, Pos. 1, Incumbent (Did not respond)
Hillary Hoffman, Pos. 2, Open seat
Anne Ellithorpe-McRae, Pos. 2, Open seat (Has not yet followed up with answers)
Crystn Guenthner, Pos. 3, Open seat (Did not respond)
Travis Schaefer, Pos. 3, Open seat (Did not respond)
Whitman Hospital & Medical Clinics Board:
Cherry Alice Van Tine, Pos. 2, Incumbent (Did not respond)
Michele Beckmann, Pos. 5, Challenger (Declined)
Martin J. Marler, Pos. 5, Incumbent
Palouse City Council:
Brad Pearce, Pos. 1, Open seat
Sarah Bofenkamp, Pos. 1, Open seat (Did not respond)
Tim Sievers, Pos. 3, Incumbent (Did not respond)
Tracy Stewart, Pos. 3, Challenger
Libby Akin, Pos. 4, Incumbent (Declined)
Sam Brink, Pos. 4, Challenger (Did not respond)
Jim Fielder, Pos. 5, Incumbent (Has not yet followed up with answers)
Travis Deerkop, Pos. 5, Challenger (Did not respond)
Robert Brooks, Pos. 6, Open seat (Did not respond)
Leslie Jo Sena, Pos. 6, Open seat (Did not respond)
Ron Weller, Pos. 7, Open seat
Ann Barrington, Pos. 7, Open seat (Did not respond)