Election results unchanged as final results released

SANDPOINT — With the last few votes counted earlier in the week, no outcomes were changed in the 2021 election.

With 52.85% of the vote, the city's proposed local option tax failed to secure the necessary 60% supermajority needed for approval. With all votes counted, the measure received 1,269 yes votes to 1,132 no votes, or 47.15%

City officials had previously said the tax would have approximately $13 million and would go to improvements at City Beach, the downtown waterfront along Sand Creek and the sports complex at Travers/Centennial Park. About $200,000 in LOT funds each year would have gone toward to sidewalks that are part of the priority connection network, library, school, downtown.

With all votes counted, David Sundquist narrowly defeated challenger Robert Rutan, 69 to 66 votes, or 51.11% to 48.89%, in the race for the Kootenai City Council, seat 3 position.

Results also were unchanged in the race for the Lake Pend Oreille School District Zone 2 seat, where challenger Jalon Peters defeated incumbent Gary Suppiger, 931 votes to 682 votes or 57.72% to 42.28%.

Susan Brown won the West Bonner County School District Zone 2 seat with 176 votes, or 50.43%. Lonnie Orr had 123 votes, or 35.24%, and Mark Caldwell had 50 votes, or 14.33%. With all votes counted, there were no changes in the race for the WBCSD Zone 4 board seat, where Keith Rutledge defeated Hailey Scott, receiving 244 votes 50.83%, to Scott’s 236 votes, or 49.17%.

In the race for Priest River mayor, Kevin Wylie picked up a vote to edge Timothy Simpkins, 167 votes to 156 votes, or 51.55% to 48.85%. In the race for two Priest River City Council seats, Candace Turner picked up another vote to end with 202 votes, 39.15%, and Billy Mullaley received 176 votes, 34.11%. Incumbent Sean Schneider also picked up another vote to end with 138 votes, or 26.74%.

Neither Dover mayoral candidate picked up any additional votes in the unofficial results in the election. George Eskridge won the seat, receiving 272 votes, or 79.30%, to 71 votes, or 20.70%, for Ryan Wells. In the race for two city council seats, Kim Bledsoe picked up another vote to end with 231 votes, or 36.04%, to claim one of two open seats. With 161 votes, or 25.20%, Merlin Glass won the other open seat. Mark Sauter picked up a vote to end with 155 votes, 24.18%, and, Amy Lizotte had 94 votes, 14.71%.

While several of the candidates picked up votes, the results of the election didn't change with incumbent Joel Aispuro, Jason Welker and Justin Dick winning the three open seats. Aispuro added six votes to end with 1,316 votes, or 19.32%; Welker added eight votes to end with 1,229 votes, 18.05%; and Dick added 11 votes to end with 1,224 votes, 17.97%. Luke Omodt added five votes to end with 946 votes, 13.89%; John Darling added two votes to end with 792 votes, 11.63%; Frytz Mor added three votes to end with 612, or 8.99%; Wayne Benner added a vote to end with 403 votes, 5.92%; and Arthur Bistline added five votes to end with 288 votes, or 4.23%

In the Northside Fire District race for fire commissioner in Subdistrict 3, Vernon Roof won seat over Bob Howard. Roof received 593 votes, or 55.21%, while Howard received 481 votes, or 44.79%.

Sam Rick Conner received 648 votes (24 in Bonner County and 624 votes in Kootenai County) to win the Timberlake Fire Subdistrict 5 seat over Todd Amende, who received 489 votes between the two counties (16 in Bonner County and 473 votes in Kootenai County)

David Van Natter will hold the West Pend Oreille Fire District Subdistrict 1 seat for fire commissioner, receiving 678 votes, or 67.46%. Christine Coyle received 184 votes, 18.31%, and Tony Emord received 143, or 14.23%. In the fire district's Subdistrict 3 race, Samuel R. "Ranger Rick" Hall garnered 628 vote, or 62.99%, to defeat Larry Larsen, 279 votes or 27.98%, and Stephen D. Bouche, who received 90 votes, or 9.03%.