STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

The future of ambulance service and libraries in the Wood River Valley hangs in the balance when Blaine County voters head to the polls today.

Voting starts at 8 a.m. and runs through 8 p.m.

Two levies are on the ballot:

BLAINE COUNTY AMBULANCE LEVY

Blaine County Ambulance District is asking county voters to approve a temporary override tax levy. They’re asking voters to approve $6.72 per $100,000 of taxable assessed property for two years beginning Fiscal Year 2026-27. That’s about $58 per year for a house assessed at $800,000.

Seventy-five percent of the revenue for the district comes from property taxes. The last ambulance levy in Blaine County passed in 2008, but call volumes have increased 40 percent since 2021.

BIG WOOD RIVER LIBRARY DISTRICT: The Hailey and Bellevue libraries are asking for taxpayers from East Fork Road south to the borders of Blaine County to create a library district to sustain and improve the Hailey and Bellevue libraries. Under the proposal, residents would pay $28 per $100,000 of taxable assessed property.

Those seeking the measure say that cities can no longer fund libraries as they used to as infrastructure and other demands rise. Meanwhile, demand for library services has grown with Hailey recording 111,000 visits during 2025 plus an addition 13,000 participants at programs.  Not only have the cost of living and health care for staff risen, but the price of eBooks and audiobooks can cost as much as $100 each.

DEMOCRAT BALLOT

Ketchum resident Ellie Gilbreath is running against Julie Wiley for U.S. Representative District 2.

At the local level there are two positions being contested:

BLAINE COUNTY CLERK

Dawn Cieslik is challenging Stephen Graham for this position.

Stephen Graham, who moved to Hailey after serving as an artist-in-resident at The Ernest Hemingway House, has a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University.

He has launched a property recording system that allows free online access to documents since taking office. And he’s about to launch a computer financial system.  He says his office has pursued transparency by publishing the county’s financial report.

Dawn Cieslik grew up in the Wood River Valley and attended Boise State University. She served in the U.S. Navy where she worked in a medical lab before earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with an emphasis in public administration at San Diego State University.

She has worked as the assistant chief appraiser for the County of Santa Clara Assessor’s Office and currently works as a county planner.

BLAINE COUNTY CORONER

Eric Demment is vying with Stephen Gaylord. Connie Hoffman is on the ballot but  withdraw her candidacy to assist with a family member with medical recovery.

Demment, a nationally registered paramedic, has 20 years in emergency medicine with the Ketchum Fire District, St. Luke’s Wood River and Sun Valley Ski Patrol. He is also a youth hockey coach and a Higher Ground volunteer.

Gaylord trained in medicolegal death investigations at the University of North Dakota and has served with the U.S. Army and as a volunteer firefighter.

REPUBLICAN BALLOT

There is one contested race at the local level:

DISTRICT 26 HOUSE SEAT A:

Jeff Emerick, of Bellevue is challenging Mike Pohanka for District 26 House Seat A.

Jeff Emerick is president-elect of the Hailey Rotary Club, executive director of NAMI Wood River Valley and on the board of directors of The Hunger Coalition.

Pohanka, who lives in Jerome, has served one term in the legislature. He is past president of the Jerome and Twin Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Jerome Rotary.

POLLING PLACES

01 North Blaine County—Ketchum City Hall

02 Sun Valley—Sun Valley City Hall

03 North Ketchum—The Community Library in Ketchum

04 South Ketchum—The Community Library

05 Quigley—Community Campus in Hailey

06 Deer Creek—Community Campus

07 NW Hailey—Community Campus

08 NE Hailey—Community Campus

09 SW Hailey—Community Campus

10 NW Woodside—Community Campus

11 SE Woodside—Community Campus

12 Poverty Flat—Bellevue Elementary School

13 Bellevue—Bellevue Elementary

14 Carey—Carey School

15 Gannett/Picabo—Bellevue Elementary School