Whether R or D, new face to represent Fourth Legislative District next year
Spokane and northeast Washington will send several new people to Olympia to serve in the legislature next year. One will represent the Fourth District in the Senate. Voters have the choice of a political newcomer or an incumbent state House member who wants to switch chambers.
Republican Leonard Christian has three years’ experience in the legislature, the last two as an elected state House member. When Mike Padden chose to retire from the Senate, Christian jumped at the chance to replace him.
“To me it looks like it’s easier to build friendships and relationships in the Senate because you have half the amount of people," Christian told SPR News. "It seems like the House has a lot more people and a lot more personalities, I guess I would say. It’s harder to build more of a coalition. In the Senate, people want to work together. They seem like the grownups in the room, I guess I would say.”
Christian nudged past three other Republicans to earn the chance to run in November. He finished a close second to Democrat Miguel Valencia, a Spokane paralegal and law student. Valencia is running a campaign based on standard Democratic issues such as improving access to health care and preserving abortion rights.
“Some people, hearing my policies, may think that I’m pretty idealistic, which I would agree somewhat. I have big ideas," Valencia told SPR News. "But I’m the kind of person that, I’ll sit down with anybody and try to figure out how can we at least move forward.”
Valencia said he met with most of the Republicans who ran in the primary election to share his thoughts and listen to theirs. He said Fourth District voters have responded positively to his message. Whether that carries over to the polls is a big question. Together, the Republicans collected about two-thirds of the vote in August.
Idaho voter guides debut
Voters in Idaho have some new resources this election season to help them navigate the polls.
For the first time, the Secretary of State’s office is mailing 850,000 voter pamphlets explaining voting options, along with the text of and pro-and-con arguments for a proposed constitutional amendment and the proposition that will appear on all Idaho ballots.
Similar voter information guides have been standard in Washington for more than a century.
Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane told Boise State Public Radio that until this year, only generic ballots have been available online.
“This election is the first time statewide everywhere from Clark County to Camas County, and in between, that you can actually go to VoteIdaho.gov [and] look up your voter record so you can confirm you’re registered, see your information, and see the actual ballot you'll be voting on,” McGrane said.
McGrane says the presidential election means county clerks around the state are gearing up for high voter turnout.
Washington affordable housing providers say they need help
Groups that provide affordable housing in Washington say their costs far outpace their revenues. They’re asking the state to step in and help.
The Housing Development Consortium represents more than 200 people and organizations that provide affordable housing in Washington. The consortium’s policy director, Jesse Simpson, said insurance, staff, and building maintenance costs have been rising while revenue remained flat. Additionally, more buildings are having to provide wraparound services for residents.
“Some of the new workforce affordable housing buildings…more than 50 percent of their residents are exiting homelessness. And so we're seeing a need for increased levels of service in just the affordable housing system broadly, not just the permanent supportive housing system,” Simpson told KUOW public radio.
The Housing Development Consortium is asking the state to provide $50 million in one-time funding to stabilize housing providers’ operations and $20 million annually to provide residents with behavioral and mental health services.
Without the funding, Simpson said, some providers are facing bankruptcy or are considering closing down.
The state Department of Commerce estimates more than 700,000 Washington households qualify for an affordable housing unit. But with current supply there is just one unit for every five families in the state that need one.
Idaho state and county election leaders reassure voters ahead of election
At a press conference Wednesday, Secretary of State Phil McGrane and Idaho’s 44 county clerks announced that each of them had signed an open letter that outlines the steps they take make sure elections are fair and accessible.
“There are common things that we do across the entire state that many Idahoans aren’t aware of,” McGrane said. “Perfect examples of those are that we have photo ID requirements. To register to vote, you must show photo ID in this state. Every voter, when they head to the polls, will be asked to show their ID. Every vote that is cast will be cast and have a paper record.”
Nez Perce County Clerk Patty Weeks said election officials follow a “look, lock and log” mantra, ensuring the identification shown by voters conforms with what’s allowed by state law and that voters’ file signatures voters match those on their ballots.
“We lock our ballots. We lock our equipment. We log ballot access. We log ballot activity. Be assured Idaho elections have a tradition of security and we will continue to ‘look, lock and log’ for you,” Weeks said.
McGrane’s office also conducts random post-election hand count audits in several counties to double check the results reported on Election night. Bannock County Clerk Jason Dixon said it’s a ritual he looks forward to when his county is selected because it’s a good test of how well his office performs its job.
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Reporting was contributed by Doug Nadvornick, Sasa Woodruff and Mayowa Aina.