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Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Sprague race still too close to call
ODESSA — Barring a last-minute miracle and influx of valid mail-in ballots, the candidates for town mayor and councilmember No. 5 in the November general election appear to be set after a second round of tallying primary election votes Thursday, Aug. 3.
The top two vote-getters in each race advance to the general election.
Incumbent mayor Bill Crossley dusted his two opponents in the primary election that closed Aug. 1, with 216 votes that was 71.52% of the voting total.
His opponent in November will likely be Jeremy Smith, who had 53 votes to Ed Hayden’s 32 after last Thursday’s second count.
Incumbent councilwoman Marlene Kramer also appears to have comfortably advanced to the general election with 152 votes, while her opponent is most likely Laura Caler. Caler netted 105 votes to Michael Igo’s 42 votes after the second count.
Favorites are also shaping up in Harrington in the race for councilmember No. 5. Gavin Wagner is on his way to the general election with 58 votes, while Kelly Foreman still has a decent edge over Steven Wright with 31 votes to Wright’s 21.
The only yet unclear race is in Sprague, where Jeffrey Smith appears to be on his way to the general with 45 votes in the race for councilmember No. 5. But his opponent is still up in the air, with RonDel Krauter holding a miniscule 27-26 lead over incumbent Trace De Garmo.
A tie between Kratuer and De Garmo would trigger an automatic recount. If that recount also reveals a tied race, Smith’s opponent will be decided through a lot draw.
Just two valid ballots were left to count Monday, elections deputy Norm Caley said, plus any more valid ballots that come in the mail this week. And at least one is from Sprague, he said.
The final count is Monday, Aug. 14 before the election is certified Tuesday, Aug. 15.
Elsewhere in primary election statistics, unopposed incumbent Commissioner Jo Gilchrist had 727 votes, while 31 voters preferred to write in their own candidate.
Just under a third of those write-in voters were in Odessa (10), while the second highest total was in Waukon (5). Gilchrist received unanimous support in Bluestem, Canby, Downs, Earl, Enos, Gravelle, Lamona, Layton, Mohler, rural Odessa, south rural Reardan and Wilson Creek.
Looking ahead to the general election, voters around the county will have contested races on their ballots.
Outside of aforementioned races in Odessa, Harrington and Sprague, Davenport voters will choose between incumbent Brad Sweet and J.J. Kowalkowski for mayor.
Kowalkowski said he had withdrawn from the race in May, but the Auditor’s Office said he will appear on the ballot since he didn’t withdraw during filing week.
Other contested races shaping up include:
• Lane Collier and Brian Benham for Reardan-Edwall school board No. 4
• Ed Deife and Zach Schafer for Odessa school board No. 2
• Carmen Weishaar and Amanda Wallace for Odessa school board No. 3
• Chris Crossley and Cory Kramer for Odessa school board No. 4
• Darren Mattozzi and Britney Wagner for Harrington school board No. 1
• Jon Evans and Tony Hamilton for Harrington school board No. 2
• Jerry Dougherty and Dawn Bennett for Fire District No. 4 commissioner No. 3
• Thomas Pelley and Larae Rodriguez for Cemetery District No. 7 (Sprague) commissioner No. 3
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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