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Incumbents re-elected in record turnout
Elmore County voters turned out in record numbers Tuesday, both in the absolute number of voters and the percentage of registered voters who cast ballots, and voted to re-elect virtually every incumbent on the general election ballot.
Well over 8,000 voters cast ballots.
The hotly contested race for the Western Elmore County Recreation District saw incumbent Mollie Marsh turn back a challenge by Leanna Whitney by a narrow 1,841 to 1,436 margin.
Voters also overwhelmingly approved the creation of a pest (mosquito) abatement district to deal with the continuing threat of the West Nile Virus.
Perhaps the most serious challenge in all the other local races was in the three-way battle for sheriff, where 26-year incumbent Republican Rick Layher earned 4,296 votes (53.6 percent) to defeat Independent Gregg Berry, who received 2,411 votes, and Democrat Robin Ellis, who garnered 1,309 votes despite barely running at all.
In the race for the District 22 state senate seat, incumbent Republican Tim Corder easily turned back a challenge from G. Rustyn Casiano by a 5,747 to 2,049 margin.
The state representative Position B post for District 22 saw incumbent Republican Pete Nielsen easily defeat Rosemary Ardinger 5,128 to 2,622.
Rich Wills, the incumbent Republican who holds the Position A seat for District 22, was unopposed on the ballot and earned 6,680 votes.
Two positions were up for election for the Elmore County Board of Commissioners.
In the District 1 race, incumbent Republican Arlie Shaw won relection by a 4,868 to 2,852 margin over Democratic challenger Janet Langfitt.
For District 2, incumbent Republican Larry Rose easily handled the write-in challenge by independent Doug King, whom he'd defeated in the Republican primary in May, by a commanding 5,800 to 917 margin.
Democratic incumbent county prosecuting attorney Kristian Schindele, who was unopposed on the ballot, received 5,863 votes in local balloting Tuesday.
For state offices, Elmore County voters overwhelmingly favored Republican Lt. Gov. Jim Risch by a 5,031 to 2,466 margin over Democrat Larry LaRocco for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Larry Craig. Libertarian Kent Marmon earned 126 votes, independent candidate Rex Rammel earned 324 votes, and independent "Pro Life" (the former Marvin Richardson who had his name changed for the race) received 117 votes.
In the race for the Second Congressional District, incumbent Republican Mike Simpson crushed Democratic challenger Deborah Holmes by a 5,925 to 2,000 margin locally.
In the national race for president, Elmore County, like the rest of the state, overwhelmingly voted in favor of Republican John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama by a 5,571 to 2,523 margin locally. Also running on the presidential ballot was Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin, who received 36 votes, Libertarian Bob Barr who received 33 votes, and Independent Ralph Nader who garnered 109 votes.
In balloting to affirm or reject the local magistrate judges, George Hicks received 6,344 votes to stay in office with 1,010 voters hoping to see him removed, while David Epis was reaffirmed by a 6,057 to 1,191 margin.
All totals are unofficial until the official canvass of ballots are held next week.