Landslide vote brings in new Electric City leaders

In a strong show of disapproval for current government, Electric City voters have chosen a new city council and mayor, casting about four or five times as many votes for the challengers as for incumbents.

They selected Diane Kohout as the new mayor over incubent Aaron Derr, 238-33; Bob Rupe for city council position 2 over Birdie Hensley, 217-53; Cate Slater over Carol Nordine for council position 4, 221-49; and Cheryl Hoffman over Lonna Bussert 210-55.

The challengers have been campaigning on a platform of changing the direction, and the openness, of city hall. Citizens have been upset and loud at city council and other meetings. Issues from a current streets project to the firing of the fire chief have stirred division for months.

In Grand Coulee, however, challengers were rebuffed.

Mayor Paul Townsend soundly defeated challenger Cameron (Karma) Whitney 108-26. And Councilmember Alan Cain defeated Tracy Wright 93-34.

In Douglas, Grant, Lincon, Okanogan Counties Hospital District 6, Commissioner Kristan Hare kept her seat with 54 percent of the vote, 268-187, against Brenda Turner’s challenge.

Grant County Proposition 1, to increase sales tax to build a new jail and add funds to local police departments, passed with 62 percent of the vote, 6,282-3,900 votes. Sales tax will rise in the county by 0.3%

In Okanogan County, Proposition 2 passed with two thirds of the vote 4,417-2,194. Sales tax will increase there by 0.2% to pay for new emergency communications infrastructure.