Council Ballot Crowded

Sat., July 31, 1999

By Jim Camden jimc@spokesman.com (509) 879-7461

For the Spokane City Council, there’s a flood of candidates.

In Spangle, there’s a trickle.

In the Vel View and Spokane County No. 14 water districts, there is - excuse the pun - a drought.

That’s how the elections shaped up Friday afternoon as the door of the County Elections Office closed on candidates seeking office.

Three Spokane City Council races attracted a total of 18 candidates. Incumbents Roberta Greene and Jeff Colliton each drew four opponents, while the open seat now held by retiring Councilman Orville Barnes has eight.

But that level of interest is unusual this year. Airway Heights has a pair of primary elections, but most other cities and towns in Spokane County have just one contested race.

Spangle has one candidate each for mayor and the three City Council positions. They’ll have to appear on the fall ballots, but barring a write-in challenge, those offices are decided.

In the one race for a Spokane School District 81 board seat, incumbent Terrie Beaudreau faces a challenge from Becky Heacox. It’s one of the few contested school board races in the county, although most school boards have at least one candidate.

Water, sewer and cemetery districts traditionally have problems attracting candidates, and this year is no exception. Residents of VelView and Spokane County No. 14 each need to elect three commissioners, as does the Moran Cemetery District. There were no takers for the volunteer posts.

Elections Supervisor Tom Wilbur said all positions for which no one filed will get an extra three days next week to try to attract candidates.

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