In brief: Rush-Allen race verges on recount

The race between Richard Rush and Mike Allen for Rush’s south district Spokane City Council seat remained close enough for a recount after the sixth day of counting.

Allen’s lead grew by 6 to 98 on Wednesday, but the gap between him and Rush was still within a half percentage point. Allen had 50.23 percent of the vote to Rush’s 49.77 percent.

There are 268 votes left to count, and most of those are ballots that won’t be counted unless the voters come to the elections office to clear up discrepancies with their signatures, said Spokane County Elections Manager Mike McLaughlin. No more counting is expected until Nov. 28. The results will be certified on Nov. 29. If the race remains within a half percentage point, a computer recount will occur early next month, McLaughlin said.

A recount in the Rush-Allen race would be the first computer recount in Spokane County since John Driscoll beat John Ahern for a 6th Legislative District House seat in 2008. That recount changed the tally only by two votes.

Allen’s lead has been corrected from the original version.

Counties, cities file redistricting suit

BOISE – A legal challenge to Idaho’s new legislative redistricting plan was filed in the Idaho Supreme Court on Wednesday by four Idaho counties: Twin Falls, Kootenai, Teton and Owyhee.

The four, plus several cities in Twin Falls County, charge that the plan impermissibly divides counties between districts. The plan, developed by a bipartisan citizen commission, divides 11 of Idaho’s 44 counties.

Interchange opens for U.S. 2, corridor

A new interchange connecting U.S. Highway 2 to the emerging North Spokane Corridor was opened to traffic following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday afternoon.

The new link provides an improved route for North Side traffic using an already-opened segment of the corridor from Francis Avenue to Farwell Road, a distance of just more than three miles.

The ceremony was held on the southbound flyover ramp that crosses U.S. 2 and connects with what will be the through lanes of the freeway, which are expected to open next spring from Wandermere to Farwell Road.