By Kevin Hanson-The Courier-Herald
Local races will provide precious little drama this election season, so it might be regional issues that dominate voters' thinking.
On this end of the Plateau, the Enumclaw School District provides the only races guaranteed to liven the picture. Otherwise, candidates both new and old are running unopposed.
The school district has a pair of newcomers n Corey Cassell and Robert Horn n seeking the District 3 seat. In District 4, Gerd Weyer is challenging incumbent Lorianne Taff. Nancy Merrill, the District 1 incumbent, is unopposed.
The Oct. 17 edition of The Courier-Herald dedicated many inches to the school board race. Candidates were given the opportunity to answer, in their own words, a series of questions concerning board duties and decisions.
Other races are already decided.
In Enumclaw, incumbents Jeff Beckwith and Jim Hogan are unopposed in their bids to return to the City Council for another four years. Newcomer Richard Elfers is unopposed and will take over the Position 2 seat being vacated by Glen Jensen.
In Buckley, four City Council positions will be on the general election ballot, but voters have only four names to consider. Unopposed candidates Randy Reed, James Montgomery, Ron Weigelt and Jan Twardoski will be the winners.
In Black Diamond, Kristine Hanson, Bill Boston and Leih Mulvihill are unopposed candidates for the City Council.
In Wilkeson, Dennis Smith, Trisha Summers and Becky Gilbert are running unopposed.
In Carbonado, Richie Morgan is unopposed in his mayoral bid. Likewise for council candidates Jay Argo, Wally Snover and Buck McBride.
A pair of incumbents, Susan McGuire and Jean Lacy, will retain their seats on the White River School District's board of directors.
In King County, voters will select a prosecuting attorney, Republican Dan Satterberg or Democrat Bill Sherman, and an assessor, Democrat Scott Noble, the incumbent, or Republican Jim Nobles. Four County Council seats will be contested, but not the District 9 seat that represents the south end of the county.
While local races are lacking in excitement, a handful of ballot measures seem to have captured the public's attention.
From a dollars-and-cents perspective, Proposition 1, the Sound Transit and Regional Transportation Improvement District measure, means the most. Boundary lines are ragged and omit most Plateau voters, but some are impacted, particularly those areas west of Buckley and close to Bonney Lake. The measure seeks money that could be collected for decades and change the shape of transportation throughout the Puget Sound region. Along the way, the amount paid to license personal vehicles could double or, in some cases, nearly triple.
Statewide, the items generating the most buzz are Referendum 67, which pits trial lawyers against insurance companies, and House Joint Resolution 4204, which would make it easier for school districts to pass levies. Referendum 67 would allow customers to collect triple damages if it's proven their insurance company erred in responding to a claim. HJR 4204 would get rid of the requirement that levies be approved by two-thirds of the voters, replacing the necessary vote to a simple majority. It would not change the requirement for bond measures.
Kevin Hanson can be reached at khanson@courierherald.com.
