Ballots mailed this week

Many county voters will see just one race on their ballot

Drew Lawson, The Times | Last updated Jul 15, 2021 12:7pm0

DAVENPORT – Ballots for the Aug. 3 primary election were mailed to Lincoln County voters July 14, and most residents should receive their ballots July 15 or 16. For many voters, the only race that will appear on the primary ballot will be to appoint either Adam Walser or a write-in candidate as county prosecuting attorney.

Walser, a Republican, is running unopposed for a one-year term as the prosecuting attorney. He was appointed prosecuting attorney in January after Jeff Barkdull was elected Lincoln County Superior Court Judge in 2020. He appears on the primary election ballot because he is being elected to a partisan office.

Nonpartisan offices with two or fewer candidates won’t appear on the ballot. There are only two nonpartisan races in the county with more than two candidates, and both are specific to local municipalities, so those outside those municipalities won’t see those races on their ballots.

Voters in Sprague and Odessa are the exception.

Five candidates have filed for Sprague mayor, which is a four-year term. Timothy Wilken, Dorothy Giddings, Trace De Garmy, Sunnie Fortin and M. Shawn Coombs will all appear on the ballot for voters in Sprague. The two who receive the most votes will move on to the November general election.

Three are up for the four-year term of Councilmember No. 4 in Odessa: Ryan Frick, Alberto Reyes and Amanda Wallace. One will be eliminated after the Aug. 3 primary, and the top two will advance to November’s general election.

Candidate endorsements can be submitted as opinion in The Times and The Record for the July 22 issue, but not the July 29 issue.

Ballots must be postmarked or dropped off by 8 p.m. Aug. 3. The county courthouse has an indoor and outdoor drop box. The only other ballot drop box in Lincoln County is in Harrington.