Two races get even tighter

Sun., Nov. 19, 2006

The Spokesman-Review

Two extremely close elections in Spokane County got even tighter Saturday.

Only 327 votes separate State Rep. John Serben and Democratic challenger Don Barlow. According to the most recent ballot count Saturday, Barlow’s lead is a mere 0.6 of a percent of the total votes cast. Any race that is closer than 1/2 of 1 percent is subject to an automatic recount under state law.

Meanwhile, Spokane County Commissioner Phil Harris inched closer to neighborhood activist Bonnie Mager.

A Democrat, Mager leads by 1,570 votes out of more than 145,000 cast.

Saturday’s results also showed that the race for Spokane County assessor has settled down with incumbent Ralph Baker maintaining a now steady lead of 73,613 votes to Judy Personett’s 68,027. On election night, Personett was winning.

Election officials on Friday said they had about 6,800 ballots countywide left to count. On Saturday, they processed 3,500, according to a press release.

The elections office also received more than 3,500 ballots that they couldn’t count because of signature problems. In some cases, the signature didn’t match the one on file with the voter’s registration form. In others, there was no signature on the ballot envelope.

Election officials sent out letters with affidavits, asking voters in question to sign some paperwork and mail it in, but questions still remain for more than 2,000 ballots. Those voters are being asked to come to the Elections Office, where they must show ID before filling out another form.

The list of voters whose ballots have signature problems also was provided to local Republican and Democratic parties, which may be contacting them.

Pocatello, Idaho

Potato growers warned on worm

Potato pest experts from Scotland and New Zealand say Idaho growers will have to cooperate in order to combat a worm that’s been found in crops here, causing some countries to ban imports from the state.

“You must work together,” said John Marshall of New Zealand, a country that’s been hit by the potato cyst nematodes in the past. “The biggest concern is keeping the farmer in business.”

“The potato cyst nematode is new in Idaho and the United States,” said Keith Esplin, director of the Potato Growers of Idaho. “We have to show other countries and other parts of the United States that we can take care of it.”

Compiled from staff

and wire reports

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