Candidate withdraws from District 1 race
A Bonner County deputy clerk marks out the name of Lew Langness on a general election ballot on Friday. (Photo by KEITH KINNAIRD)
SANDPOINT - Bonner County officials are modifying thousands of ballots by hand after a state senate candidate withdrew his candidacy in the general election.
Lew Langness, a Boundary County Democrat, was set to run against incumbent District 1 Sen. Shawn Keough, but pulled out of the contest. Langness was reportedly holding a spot on the ballot for a potential Democrat candidate to come forward and challenge Keough, a Republican from Sandpoint.
But no Democrat challengers emerged.
County Clerk Marie Scott said Langness apparently notified the Idaho Secretary of State of his withdrawal, but his name inadvertently remained on the state's list of certified candidates.
"When they certified the list of candidates to us, they mistakenly included his name," she said.
The oversight was corrected, but not before Bonner County placed its printing order for the Nov. 4 election ballots, which arrived on Friday.
Deputy clerks, bailiffs and other courthouse personnel were armed with straightedges and red ink pens to strike out Langness' name on the 24,550 ballots ordered for the election.
Legislative District 1 encompasses Boundary County, but officials there reportedly received word of Langness' withdrawal before ballots were printed.