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Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kitsap County 2025 primary election guide: Bremerton mayor, school board candidates & more
Ballots have been mailed for the August primary election in Kitsap County, and voters have until Tuesday, Aug. 5 to cast their votes. Two candidates will advance from each of the five contested primaries from several cities and school districts, setting up the November 4 general election with mayors, city councils and school district boards contested around the county. In addition, one local funding measure, a levy lift request from Kitsap Regional Library, is on the August ballot. Below, you can find a list of stories and candidate Q&As to research candidates and issues. In addition, this election season the League of Women Voters Kitsap is producing short video interviews with all candidates who participate. You can review those at the LWVK's candidate interviews website. And the Kitsap County Auditor's Office produced the official local voters pamphlet, which may be found here. How to cast your ballot Voters must postmark their ballots by Tuesday, Aug. 5, if sent through the U.S. mail. Alternately, ballots can be dropped off at a county elections box by 8 p.m. on Aug. 6, and vote centers are available the Saturday and Monday before election day, as well as on that Tuesday. For a list of locations of the 27 county ballot dropboxes, visit the Kitsap County Auditor's website, and vote centers are located at the Kitsap County Administration Building, 619 Division St. in Port Orchard; the Marvin Williams Recreation Center at 725 Park Ave. in Bremerton; and the Poulsbo Fire Station, 911 NE Liberty Road. Haven't received a ballot yet? Those who need to register to vote or change your address may do so online by Monday, July 28, at or by mailing a registration form, found here. In person registration is available daily at the Kitsap County Administration Building until election day, and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day at one of the three county vote centers. Those registering in person must sign a statement that you are a U.S. citizen and eligible to vote and provide a form of identification. The voting centers also offer services for those lost or did not receive their ballots in the mail, voters needing to change their addresses, and voters wishing to vote using the Accessible Voting Unit. Note to readers: If you appreciate the work we do here at The Kitsap Sun, please consider subscribing yourself or giving the gift of a subscription to someone you know. Bremerton mayor Marwan Cameron, a former OC instructor and director of a non-profit focused on transportation Jeff Coughlin, current city councilmember and former NASA scientist Greg Wheeler, elected twice as mayor, running for a third term in office One city council race also has a primary in Bremerton, for council district 3. Candidates are Ash Black, Christy Cammarata and Michael Simonds. North Kitsap School District board Debra Strawhun and Leighton Thomas are listed on the primary ballot for the District 1 position, and answered questions for the Kitsap Sun's election guide. Seth Hartmann confirmed to the Kitsap Sun he is not actively campaigning though his name will appear on the ballot. Bremerton School District board Position 4: Jenny Farley, Shannon Turner and Chris Warthen Position 5: Ben Anderson, Mary Devery and Linda Simpson Read a Q&A that includes all candidates here. Bainbridge Island City Council Sarah Blossom, Dawn Janow and Mike Nelson are contesting the primary for the District 3, South Ward position. Proposition 1: Kitsap Regional Library levy rate increase Proposition 1, increasing KRL's levy rate from 27 cents to 39 cents per $1,000 to fund operations. Read more here. This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Kitsap County 2025 primary election voter guide Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ballots for Tacoma's Aug. 5 primary are out. Here's where the candidates stand
Ballots for this year's primary election went out July 18, the first step in whittling down the list of 20 candidates looking to fill the five Tacoma City Council seats up for election this year. People looking to register to vote can do so online or on paper by July 28 and can do so in-person until 8 p.m. on election day, Aug. 5. Ballots must be postmarked no later than Aug. 5, election day, or placed in a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. that same day. Ballot drop boxes are available in 51 locations across the county, with locations ranging from outside UW Tacoma to Wapato Park. Tacoma's next top leaders are likely to be tasked with dealing with the city's enduring budget deficit and the ever-changing impact of a new presidential administration. They'll also be coming to city leadership in a time of transition – the city is without permanent leaders in top positions of police chief and city manager. The News Tribune's editorial board, which is separate from its news reporting staff, has endorsed candidates in the District 4, District 5 and at-large Position 6 races. Various community groups are hosting candidate forums and debates ahead of the primary. Here's a list of some of the upcoming events: TV Tacoma's mayoral candidate forum, posted on the City of Tacoma's Youtube page. Four candidates participated in the forum at City Hall, moderated by Liz Kurnitz-Thurlow from the League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County. TV Tacoma and the League of Women Voters also hosted candidate forums for the council-at-large Position 6 and Port of Tacoma Positions 1 and 4. Mayoral Watch Party: No Politics, Just Policy on Thursday, July 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. at UrbanWork Rhodes Center at 950 Broadway. Hosted by Tacoma Rising, the event will feature a screening of pre-recorded interviews with all six mayoral candidates on questions about economic development, followed by a question-and-answer session with the candidates. Mayoral Forum: Tacoma's Housing Crisis on Saturday, July 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Co-sponsored by United Food and Commercial Workers 367, Tacoma Ministerial Alliance, Common Good Tacoma and Tacoma For All. Four mayoral candidates will discuss policy related to Tacoma's housing crisis at Common Good Tacoma at 621, Tacoma Avenue South. Here's what we know about the 20 candidates in the running: Mayor Steve Haverly Haverly has worked as a substitute para educator for Tacoma Public Schools, in TV production and construction. His priorities include reducing homelessness, protecting the environment and making it easier for small businesses to start in Tacoma. By July 17 he had raised a total of $21,120.88 for his campaign, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission. Jesus 'Jesse' Carlos Carlos has served as a U.S. Army Ranger sniper and worked as a financial advisor, according to his campaign website. His priorities include addressing homelessness, combating climate change and uplifting marginalized communities. Carlos had reported raising $10,109.71 as of July 1, per the PDC. Whitney Stevens Stevens has a background in local government, having served on the Pierce County Planning Commission and worked for Pierce County Councilmember Tim Farell and Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson. Her priorities include summer childcare, building up the city's revenues and addressing youth gun violence. She raised $20,522.86 for her campaign as of July 17, according to public disclosures. Anthony (Tony) Ginn Ginn did not appear to have a campaign website as of July 17 and did not report any campaign expenses or fundraising dollars by the same date. Anders Ibsen Ibsen most recently worked in real estate and before that served on the City Council representing District 1. His priorities include affordability, public safety and economic development. Ibsen had raised $172,104.84 as of July 17 – the highest amount of any candidate so far – and reported having spent $139,675.29 by the same date. John Hines Hines is on the City Council representing District 1 and served as deputy mayor in 2024. Hines' priorities include building Tacoma's economy, addressing homelessness and prioritizing public safety. He reported having raised $164,998.42 for his campaign as of July 17, the second-highest amount of money raised in the race for mayor. He reported spending about half that amount by the same date – $85,564.28. District 2 Per state law, since only two candidates are in the running for the District 2 position – incumbent Sarah Rumbaugh and newcomer Ben Lackey – the two will advance to the Nov. 4 general election without the need for a primary. They will not appear on the Aug. 5 ballot. District 4 Israel James McKinney McKinney has served in the Air Force Reserves and worked at Boeing and Xfinity, according to his campaign website. His priorities include improving Tacoma's job market, improving public safety and addressing homelessness. McKinney as of July 17 did not report any campaign expenditures or fundraising dollars. According to public disclosures, he opted for 'mini reporting,' which applies to campaigns that raise and spend less than $7,000, which are not required to report their fundraising and expenditures to the state's Public Disclosure Commission. Silong Chhun Chhun has worked for former Gov. Jay Inslee's office and the Khmer Anti-deportation and Advancement Group, according to his campaign website. His priorities include protecting immigrant communities and making housing in Tacoma more affordable. Chhun raised $25,677.60 by July 17, according to public disclosures. Sandesh Sadalge Sadalge holds the position of District 4 council member, having been appointed to the seat in July 2024 after council member Catherine Ushka died in the middle of her term. Sadalge's priorities include crime prevention, affordable housing and supporting small businesses. Sadalge by July 17 had raised the most amount of money in the race for District 4 at $30,033.00. District 5 Brandon A. Vollmer Vollmer spent the majority of his life living in District 5, according to his campaign website, and his priorities include addressing homelessness, affordability and transparency. He reported raising $851.03 for his campaign by July 17, according to public disclosures. Joe Bushnell Bushnell, who represents District 5 on the City Council, spent about a decade in the Marine Corps. His priorities include addressing homelessness, building on public safety and boosting Tacoma's economy. By July 17 he raised $35,041.14 for his campaign. Zev Cook Cook is a community organizer, co-founder of Tacoma for All and worked on the campaign for the Tenant Bill of Rights and on council member Jamika Scott's campaign in 2023. Her priorities include raising Tacoma's minimum wage, building more affordable housing and taxing the rich. As of July 17, she raised $47,012.98 for her campaign – the largest amount of money raised out of all four council races. Council-at-large Position No. 6 Lindsay Wills Wills has worked as a fire inspector and in the permits department for the city of University Place. Her priorities include helping reduce costs to manage the city's budget, transparency and addressing climate change. By July 17 she raised $4,453.00 for her campaign, according to public disclosures. Hunder D. Henderson Henderson works for the Washington State Department of Transportation and has worked for Pierce County Parks and Recreation. His priorities include creating jobs, affordable housing and improving Tacoma's roads. As of July 17, Henderson raised $1,761.90 for his campaign. Krista Perez Perez is an author and small business owner, according to her campaign website, and is the only candidate who appears to have the endorsement of Deputy Mayor Kiara Daniels – who holds the at-large Position 6 seat. Her priorities include affordable housing and supporting local businesses. As of July 17, Perez had raised $31,281.92 for her campaign, the most amount of money raised by one candidate in the race for at-large Position 6. Jessica Johnston Johnston is the vice president of the Downtown Tacoma partnership and a member of Tacoma's City Events & Recognitions Committee, according to her campaign website. Her priorities include bolstering public safety and economic development in Tacoma, as well as improving access to mental health care and addiction services. Johnston raised $21,216.00 for her campaign by July 17, according to public disclosures. Todd Briske Briske ran for the at-large Position 8 in 2023 and lost to now-council member Kristina Walker. His priorities, according to his campaign website, include affordable housing, addressing homelessness and reducing 911 response times. Briske did not report raising or spending any funds on his campaign, having also opted for mini reporting. Latasha Palmer Palmer is a small business owner and board member of the Hilltop Action Coalition. She hopes to focus on housing security and economic security, according to her website. As of July 17, Palmer had raised $22,573.03 for her campaign – the second-highest amount of money raised in the race for at-large Position 6.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Election academy' prepares potential candidates to run for office in Licking County
About two dozen people came to Bryn Du Mansion in Granville for a special event — not a concert or celebration, but so they could understand what it means to seek election to local office positions and how to do it right. Hosted by the Granville Area Chamber Alliance and the League of Women Voters of Licking County, the first-ever election academy on June 23, offered potential candidates words of wisdom from the Licking County Board of Elections, former and current Granville officeholders, a campaign treasurer, and a campaign manager. In Granville, five seats are up for election in November: two on the Granville Board of Education, three on the Granville Village Council, and two of three seats for Granville Township Trustees. The event gave potential candidates information they need to enter the election. Licking County Board of Elections, Director Brian Mead walked attendees through the packet they would eventually turn into the board if they decide to run. This includes petitions, and Mead and Deputy Director Tess Wigginton emphasized the importance of precision in this part of the process. Attendees were told to complete all dates and candidate statements before collecting signatures and were reminded that candidates cannot sign their own petitions. Common errors, such as filling out forms in the wrong order or submitting incomplete packets, have affected elections in the past, even stopping incumbents from getting on the ballot for reelection. Wigginton recommended using a checklist on the front of the packet. 'We even used a big font so you can't miss anything,' she said. The county Board of Elections staff cannot help candidates in filling out the forms to participate in the election process. As much as they might want to help, according to Mead and Wigginton, there are laws that bar them from aiding anyone in the process. 'We recommend you have a previously elected official review your packet before you hand it in,' Mead said. 'Once we know something isn't factual, we can't accept anything else.' The room was engaged, with attendees jotting down notes as they asked questions to learn more about the intricacies of the petition process. After candidates turn in their petitions and packets, they have a campaign to run. Jim Bidigare, a former campaign treasurer, and Regina Martin, a former campaign manager, shared advice about how to open specific bank accounts needed for campaigning, how to choose people to be in your inner-circle, and how to understand voters. Martin said that a strong support team is crucial when running for any position. 'You need to look past your close friends and family,' she said. 'They can be there and be a great help, but you should also look for people with specific skill sets and tasks they can excel at. You will need emotional and financial support, but also people to wear your T-shirts around town, or hand out flyers for you at community events.' Martin and current and previous officeholders emphasized the importance of being around people, knowing your voters, and making yourself accessible to them. Bidigare and Martin were followed by Kevin Bennett, a former Granville Township trustee and former Granville Village Council member; Aaron Olbur, a current Granville Village Council member; and Russ Ginise, a former member and a past president of the Granville Board of Education. Each shared their own stories, their reason for running for office, and the unexpected challenges they faced. 'For the village, door-to-door campaigning can actually work,' Bennett said. 'Meanwhile, the township is much more spread out, takes more time and people, plus more people in the township have dogs.' Bennett also emphasized the importance of having thick skin: 'People speak without filters,' he said. 'Online and in-person, people will take a sharp edge to you.' Granville Village Council Member Aaron Olbur first shared his reason for running: 'I have two young daughters, and when I looked at the council, I wasn't sure who was representing their interests. It is important for everyone in the community to have a voice.' Olbur ran through the logistics involved in managing the responsibilities of a position after winning it. 'There are two meetings a month, but on the Village Council, you have to serve on certain committees, which adds a few more meetings to your schedule.' Ginise also commented on the time commitment. 'Expect to add an extra 20-30 minutes to your trips to the IGA or post office,' he said. 'I even started grocery shopping just a few towns over.' But Ginise doesn't regret his decision to run for office in the slightest. 'I was asked to join a levy committee, and since then, I have been involved in some way,' he said. 'It is easy to get your foot in the door, work on a levy committee, speak at public comments, throw your hat in the ring, and get after it.' Attendees said the event was informative and helpful to them, and they were able to learn a lot more about the process and how it plays out. Alex Morrow attended the event as a prospective candidate for the Granville Village Council, a goal inspired by a close friend, Melissah Pawlikowski, who attended the event with him. 'Public participation and accessibility are important,' Morrow said. 'This event was great to learn the process, but also hear others' experiences and have a level set of expectations.' Melanie Kohlheim is the mother of two high school-aged students and one 3-year-old. Kohlheim wants to join the Granville Board of Education to ensure the quality of education for her youngest is the same as for her other children. She has served on the Granville Education Foundation for a number of years and now serves as its president. 'My biggest takeaway was: Do not mess up the petitions,' Kohlheim said with a laugh. 'But honestly, this event was great to understand pretty much everything about the packets and what I should start thinking about for campaigning.' A longtime Granville community member, Leonard Hubert, also attended the event and has expressed interest in running for Granville Township trustee. He has previous experience after serving on the Granville Township Board of Zoning Appeals, Licking County Tax Incentive Review Council, Ohio Cancer Research Associates and Par Excellence Academy boards, Granville Township Open Space Committee and as a former member of the Granville Education Foundation and Mental Health & Recovery for Licking and Knox counties. 'There are a lot of 'whys' for me, and this event just made it more clear to me that I want to continue my 20 years of service to the community,' Hubert said. 'I am also concerned with the current growth and state perception of Licking County, and I know a number of people are concerned for the future of Granville Township, and I want to play a role in shaping its future.' The deadline for candidates to file petitions to run for office in the Nov. 4 election is 4 p.m. on Aug. 6. Contact the Licking County Board of Elections for details. Delaney Brown writes for the nonprofit news organization of Denison University's Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: 'Election academy' prepares potential candidates to run for office Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wyoming's League of Women Voters supports lawsuit against Gray on voting laws
CHEYENNE — Since Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray asked a federal court to toss a lawsuit filed against him, the League of Women Voters of Wyoming has come out in support of the lawsuit, arguing Gray's support of new state voting laws defies the U.S. Constitution's protection of a fundamental right to vote. The lawsuit, filed by the Equality State Policy Center in the U.S. District Court for Wyoming in May, calls for a halt of the imposition of House Bill 156, which Gov. Mark Gordon let go into law without his signature earlier this year after approval from the Wyoming Legislature. The bill, which became law July 1 and was Gray's top priority in the 2025 legislative session, requires Wyoming voters to be state residents for at least 30 days before casting their ballots, and present proof of residency and citizenship when registering to vote. ESPC argues HB 156 causes an undue burden on the right to vote — particularly for women, as well as Hispanic, young and low-income voters — and is unconstitutionally vague as written. The lawsuit names Gray and each of Wyoming's 23 county clerks as defendants in the case, and argues HB 156 violates the First, Fifth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The League of Women Voters (LWV) filed an amicus brief in the case Monday. Though not joining the case, this action shows support for ESPC's lawsuit against Gray and Wyoming's county clerks. 'HB 156 will only create more bureaucracy that prevents Wyoming citizens from exercising their fundamental right to vote,' said Linda Barton, president of the League of Women Voters of Wyoming, in a news release. 'For decades, Wyoming's elections have been secure and without fraud without this law. The League is proud to speak out against this unnecessary and discriminatory law that will harm Wyoming residents and voters.' Since 2000, there have been four convictions of voter fraud in Wyoming, according to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. All four cases involved U.S. citizens. Last week, the Laramie County Sheriff's Office announced it had been alerted by the Laramie County Clerk's Office of 24 cases of potential voting violations in last year's election. After an investigation, two individuals, both of Cheyenne and both ineligible to vote due to prior felony convictions, were charged with False Voting under Wyoming Statute 22-26-106(a)(i). None of the individuals flagged for potential voting violations related to immigration were found to have voted illegally. Shortly after ESPC filed its complaint against Gray and the county clerks, the group's attorneys sought a preliminary injunction, essentially requesting the law not go into effect until legal judgment has been passed. Gray then asked the court to both allow HB 156 to go into law and dismiss the complaint entirely. No timeline has been announced as to when the court may issue a ruling on either the injunction or Gray's motion to dismiss. In LWV's amicus brief, its legal representation, Campaign Legal Center and Robinson Bramlet LLC, criticize Gray's opposition and argue the court should judge the case using the Anderson-Burdick balancing test, which is a framework typically used to analyze voting laws to determine whether a voting restriction violates the First and 14th Amendment. In the U.S. Supreme Court's Anderson-Burdick framework, federal courts are required to weigh 'the character and magnitude of the asserted injury to the rights protected in the First and 14th Amendments that the plaintiff seeks to vindicate' against 'the precise interests put forward by the State as justifications for the burden imposed by its rule,' taking into consideration 'the extent to which those interests make it necessary to burden the plaintiff's rights.' LWV argues that Gray is improperly attempting to narrow this balancing test, saying Gray cannot seriously contend that HB 156 imposes no additional burden on the right to vote. 'The careful balancing and scrutiny required under Anderson-Burdick for state laws restricting the right to vote is nowhere to be found in Secretary Gray's opposition to the Motion for a Preliminary Injunction. Instead, the Secretary claims that, in the absence of a severe burden, this Court should apply something 'similar or identical to rational-basis scrutiny,'' the amicus document reads. Gray argued in his response to the motion for preliminary injunction from ESPC that the plaintiff could not provide sufficient evidence of how this will harm the voting rights of Wyomingites. 'Despite Plaintiff's claims of widespread harm, it has only identified one member organization that claims harm to its members,' Gray's attorneys wrote in a response to the motion for a preliminary injunction, alluding to an affidavit submitted by Linda Hawkins, one of several affidavits submitted as part of this lawsuit. Hawkins is the executive director of the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. In her affidavit, she argued that HB 156 could impede or prevent survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault from being able to register to vote. Other organizations that submitted affidavits include Needs Inc. and the COMEA House and Resource Center homeless shelter, both in Cheyenne. LWV's amicus brief concludes by requesting the court grant the motion for a preliminary injunction. 'This documentary proof of citizenship law — HB 156 — is yet another example of a state creating a solution in search of a problem,' said Marcia Johnson, chief of activation and justice at the League of Women Voters of the U.S., in a news release. 'The League is proud to be fighting unlawful documentary proof of citizenship laws in courts across the country. State legislatures must learn that unfounded allegations of non-citizen voting do not justify laws that create discriminatory and financially burdensome restrictions on voter registration for eligible voters.'
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
From the Archives: July 12 in the Pioneer
Jul. 12—July 12, 2015 — The theme of this year's Beltrami County Relay for Life was "City of Hope" and more than 30 teams and 350 people were expected to participate in Saturday's events at the Sanford Center. Organizers said that more than $50,000 had been raised earlier in the week, with a goal of $100,000. July 12, 2000 — Laporte received over $2 million in federal loans and grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development to replace individual wells and septic tanks with city water and sewer due to contamination. July 12, 1975 — Area residents are set to show appreciation for the contributions Mable Sattgast made to Bemidji at an upcoming reception. Since coming to town in 1959, she has started a self-help housing project, served as president of the League of Women Voters and was named Senior Citizen of Beltrami County. July 12, 1925 — The circus in Bemidji today featured a splendid collection of animals including baby tigers, "Prince" tiger mascot of Princeton University and the "Tarzan of the Apes" lions of the motion picture. Other trained animals include polar bears, llama, pigs, elephants, seals and the largest group of horses in the world.
