In a democratic election, surpassing 50% is a win. A victory north of 60% is a mandate. Getting nearly 80% of the vote is a popular demand. On Nov. 5, voters in Spokane were crystal clear about their demands regarding two of Washington state’s most contentious issues – opposition to an income tax and support for open collective bargaining negotiations. Spokane voter opinion was so strong it could cascade across the Cascades.

Spokane voters were asked to weigh in on two propositions in this election, one that would ban a city income tax and another that would require collective bargaining sessions to be conducted in public view.

Alone among the larger districts in Spokane County, the Mead School District decided this year to mitigate its budget problems by offering a two-year supplemental levy on the Nov. 5 ballot. If the $14.6 million measure passes, the district will reinstate some paraeducators who were let go in recent cuts, maintain nursing staff at current levels, increase safety and security personnel, and expand learning opportunities for nontraditional students.

If the voters of Idaho don’t act quickly and decisively, the 2019 legislative session may go down as the year we all lost a cherished constitutional right: the right to take matters into our own hands when our elected leaders refuse to.

Idaho voters can and should vote “Yes” on Proposition 1 and help revive an industry that embodies our Idaho values of hard work and fairness, entrepreneurialism, and our commitment to our children.

Idaho is a devoutly free-enterprise state, yet voters there are being asked to change state law to prop up one industry: horse racing. Proposition 1 on the Nov. 6 ballot purports to generate support for public education, but it would do little for schools. Instead it would be a windfall only for a few people – those who would operate video horse racing. The measure would legalize betting on past horse races. That seems like an oxymoron, but technology makes historical horse racing – also known as instant racing – feasible. It is legal in Oregon, Wyoming, Kentucky and Arkansas.