Rich, Crossett win commission seats

After the final precinct was counted about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Lewis Rich and Todd Crossett maintained their early leads to win the two county commission seats.

In the District 1 race Crossett, a Democrat, defeated former commissioner Republican Bud Mueller, 8,476 to 4,654 votes. In the District 3 race, Rich received 5,970 votes to 3,835 votes held by write-in candidate and incumbent Karl Dye. Independent candidate Wayne Stotts had 3,108 votes.

The county clerk's race between incumbent Marie Scott and Kathrynn Feist was neck and neck, with the vote swinging back and forth between them. Scott eked out a victory with 6,910 votes compared to 6,633 for challenger, Republican Kkathrynn Feist.

Meanwhile, in the assessor's race, Democrat Jerry Clemons won with 6,512 votes to 5,645 votes for the incumbent, Republican Judie Conlan. Independent candidate Carl White had 1,376 votes.

Magistrate Judge Debra Heise will retain her seat, with 9,655 votes for her and 2,318 against.

On the state level, the race between incumbent Rep. Eric Anderson and Steve Elgar came down to the last precinct with Anderson claiming a narrow win, 6,869 to 6,634 — a 235 vote margin. Elgar won in Bonner County by 221 votes — 5,292 for Elgar and 5,071 for Anderson. However, Anderson took Boundary County, winning by 456 votes. He received 1,798 votes compared to 1,342 for Elgar. Overall, Ande

Rep. George Eskridge, Republican, defeated challenger Bob Wynhausen 8,382 votes to 5,173. In Bonner County, Eskridge received 6,325 to Wynhausen's 3,912.

Incumbent Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, defeated Jim Ramsey, 9,308 to 4,265 in the District 1 race. In Bonner County, Keough received 7,079 votes to 3,343 in the District 1 race.

Incumbent Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Cocolalla, defeated challenger Steve Johnson, Democrat, with 6,241 to 4,426 in the District 2 race, which encompasses parts of Bonner, Benewah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties. In Bonner County, Broadsword had 2,154 vote to Johnson's 1,212.

In Bonner County, Bill Sali led Larry Grant for a congressional seat with 6,512 votes to 6,475. Overall, Sali received 115,804 votes to 103,871 for Grant.

In the governor's race, Butch Otter received 6,933 votes in Bonner Couunty compared to 6,505 for Democrat Jerry Brady. Statewide, Otter received 237,223 compared to 198,778 for Brady.

For more details, check out the Bonner County Web site at: http://co.bonner.id.us or the Idaho Secretary of State's Web site at http://www.sos.idaho.gov/online/enr/menu.jsp