BY KAREN BOSSICK

Blaine County residents are being reminded that there will be no walk-in Idaho primary on May 19.

Idaho’s 2020 Primary is a mail-in-only election due to the coronavirus pandemic.

And you can request your November ballot now at www.idahovotes.gov.  

The May ballot reflects candidates from the party of your choice. The ballot must be mailed back using a pre-addressed envelope.

The Republican and Constitution parties have closed primaries, meaning only voters affiliated with those parties can vote in those elections. The Democratic Party primary is open to anyone who is not voting on the other parties’ ballots.

If you’re unaffiliated you may affiliate with the party of choice by filling a signed form.

On the ballot:

Legislative District 26

State Senator

DEM Michelle Stennett

REP Eric Parker

State Representative, Position A

DEM Muffy Davis

State Representative, Position B

DEM Sally Toone

REP William Thorpe

County Offices

County Commissioner, First District

DEM Dick Fosbury

County Commissioner, Second District

DEM Jacob Greenberg

IND Kiki Tidwell

County Sheriff

DEM Steve Harkins

County Prosecutor

Matthew Fredback

City of Hailey

Request for extension of local option tax: “Shall the City of Hailey, Idaho, adopt an extension to its local option tax with Hailey Ordinance No. 1257?”

The ordinance provides for the implementation and collection of non-property taxes for 30 years from its effective date, at the rate of 3 percent on rental cars and hotel-motel rooms, 2 percent on retail sale of liquor by the drink, wine and beer and 1 percent on the retail sale of restaurant food.

The revenues should be used for emergency services, including rapid response, traffic enforcement, training, staffing, equipment and vehicles; maintenance, improvement and acquisition of parks; road repair, snow removal and transportation enhancements; city promotion, visitor information, special events and economic development; town improvements, such as library modernization, sidewalks and the creation of a town square; public transit; cost to administer the ordinance.

The local option tax would also be used to maintain and increase commercial air service to Friedman Memorial Airport through the use of Minimum Revenue Guarantees or other inducements to providers; promoting and marketing service to increase passengers and for ancillary costs, such as bus travel due to flight diversions.