Election: Non-partisan ballots win with voters

In a close county race, constituents voted to end the practice of identifying county candidates in elections by their political party.

“Going through the ballots,” county clerk and recorder Tammy Lauer said, “it was just like every other one was for and against. It was pretty close.”

Next summer all voters can weigh in on all county candidates in the primary regardless of political party.

“I think come June people are really going to like it because almost every county employee is up for election,” Lauer said. “No matter what ballot they choose, they will be able to vote for their county government.”

The issue surfaced last year when all six commissioners’ candidates running in the county’s primary election were Republican. As a result, voters registered as Democrat could not vote for commissioners in the primary.