National, state and local elections to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 8
By DANA DUGAN
While the presidential election has overwhelmed and distracted many Blaine County residents for several months, there’s plenty on the ballot to interest voters both statewide and locally.
Idaho is virtually a one-party system. In the Idaho State Senate, there are seven Democratic incumbents and 28 Republican incumbents. In the House, there are 14 Democratic incumbents and 56 Republican incumbents. On Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 8, Idaho Republicans will be unopposed in 24 districts, while Democrats have four unchallenged candidates.
In Blaine County, Republican Dale Ewersen, of Bellevue, is running for State Senator for District 26, challenging incumbent Democrat Senator Michelle Stennett, who has served since 2010. State Representative Donna Pence, a Democrat, will retire this year after six terms. Sally Toone, a Democrat from Gooding, and Alex Sutter, a Republican from Richfield, are fighting for Pence’s District 26 Seat B. Incumbent Representative Steve Miller, a Republican from Fairfield, is being challenged by Kathleen Eder, a Democrat from Hailey, for House Seat A.
There are two judicial candidates for Idaho Supreme Court Justice to replace Court Chief Justice Jim Jones.
Robyn Brody, of Rupert, served as president of the Fifth District Bar Association, the Theron W. Ward American Inn of Court, and the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association. In 2014, Brody was recipient of the Idaho State Bar’s Professionalism Award. Brody has 20-plus years of experience in courtrooms. Currently, she serves as a mentor and presenter at the Idaho Trial Skills Academy, a new lawyer training program.
Brody’s opponent, Curtis “Curt” McKenzie, of Nampa, has served in the Idaho State Senate as a Republican since 2002. He owns his own law firm. McKenzie served as president of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region, on the Public Defense Reform Interim Committee, Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee, a Nuclear Legislative Workgroup and the Energy Environment and Technology Interim Committee. McKenzie has never argued a case before either the Idaho Supreme Court or the Idaho Court.
Also on the ballot throughout Idaho is a constitutional amendment, the Idaho Veto-Proof State Legislative Oversight of Administrative Rules and Regulations Amendment, also known as House Joint Resolution 5 (HJR 5).
A vote for the measure is a vote to include in the state constitution legislative power to review, approve, and reject administrative rules in the legislature. This would enable the legislative body to override anything and everyone, even the governor.
A vote against HJR 5 is a vote to keep this legislative authority as a state statute rather than include it in the state constitution.
Administrative rules—usually written and implemented by agencies or commissions in the state executive branch—are regulations meant to help enforce existing legislation rather than enact new laws.
A similar constitutional amendment, which would have given the legislature constitutionally protected power to delegate rule-making authority to executive agencies and to reject administrative rules, was narrowly defeated in 2014 in spite of unanimous support from the legislature.
Both Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter and Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden oppose the constitutional amendment.
Supporters say the amendment will protect legislators’ ability to review rules made by state agencies, and opponents say it would give lawmakers too much power.
In Bellevue, there are two alderman seats open. Mayor Chris Koch is also running unopposed for his position. There are 16 voter precincts in Blaine County. For more information on where to find your polling location, visit tinyurl.com/tws-elections.