General Election Ballots due Nov. 2

DAYTON–Voters here and in Columbia County have until 8 p.m. on November 2 to mail or deliver their ballots to the Columbia County Auditor for tallying.

In Columbia County and Dayton there are several contested races involving seats on the Dayton City Council, Dayton School Board and the Port of Columbia. Voters who reside in areas of Columbia County that are within the Prescott Joint Park and Recreation District will be casting their votes on other measures and for a variety of candidates.

State measures include three Advisory Votes. Advisory Vote No. 36 concerns Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1477. The legislature imposed, without a vote of the people, a 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention tax on telephone lines, costing $432,000,000 in its first ten years, for government spending.

Advisory Vote No. 37, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5096: The legislature imposed, without a vote of the people, a 7% tax on capital gains in excess of $250,000, with exceptions, costing $5,736,000,000 in its first ten years, for government spending.

Advisory Vote No. 38, Second Substitute Senate Bill 5315: The legislature imposed, without a vote of the people, a tax on captive insurers in the amount of 2% of premiums form owners/affiliates, costing $53,000,000 in its first ten years, for government spending.

Four City Council positions are on the 2021 ballot, positions 1, 3, 5 and 7.

The ballot shows Council Position 1 (full term) candidates are Laura Aukerman and Boe Stevenson. Council Position 3, also a four-year term, shows Cindi John and Teeny McMunn vying for the seat. Position 5 candidate listed on the ballot is Marchand Hovrud. A write-in candidate, Vicki Zoller, has been campaigning for the No. 5 post as well. Position 7 incumbent Fred Crowe is being challenged by Tyler (Tiger) Dieu for the Short- and Full-Term office.

Dayton School District Board of Directors has four positions up for grabs: Incumbent David Bailey is seeking re-election and is challenged by Korinda Wallace for the full-term No. 1 seat. Director No. 3 incumbent is Grant Griffen, seeking re-election to the two-year unexpired term unopposed. On the ballot for Director Position No. 4, for a two-year unexpired term, are Anna J. Berg and Aneesha Dieu. Berg has stated that she has withdrawn from contention. Jeff McCowen filed for re-election to Director No. 5 on the School Board.

The District 1 position at the Port of Columbia is held by Shawn Brown. Seth Bryan is running for Port District 1 also.

Jack Miller and Johnny Watts are both on the ballot seeking the six-year short and full term for Port District No. 3.

Jim D. Kime, a former Hospital Commissioner, is seeking election to Columbia County Hospital District Commissioner No. 3, short and full term, unopposed. Barbara J. Miller, a recent appointee to the Hospital Commission, is an unopposed candidate for Commissioner No. 4, short and full term.

Town of Starbuck candidate for mayor, running unopposed, is Zonia Dedloff. Three Town of Starbuck council positions have unopposed candidates: K. Ruth Shearer, Member No. 2; Darcy Linklater, Member No. 4; and Mark Hall, Member No. 5 (two-year unexpired term). Steven G. Wildman is on the ballot for Clerk/Treasurer, unopposed for a two-year unexpired term.

There are three unopposed candidates for Starbuck School Director positions: Diane Lusk seeks a two-year unexpired term for Director No. 3; Karen Rubenser a full term for Director No. 3 and Shelley Hall, a two-year unexpired term for Director No. 5.

Three County Fire Districts have unopposed candidate. In District 1, Richard Rubenser is on the ballot; Brooke Mikesell is running in District 2, and Mike Spring in District 3.