| Election clerks Pat Colosimo and Eileen Gibbons assist voter Jane Berneche at Price City Hall on Tuesday. There was a city-wide low voter turnout as citizens eliminated two names from a slate of eight people running for three Price City council seats. |
Voters in Price and Sunnyside made their selections during Tuesday’s primary election, while the other cities in the county stood pat until the general election on Nov.4 when all the municipalities will be involved in the electorial process.
A very light turnout, and a tie for the last spot to contend for a city council position in Price highlighted the election. Eight candidates were vying for three positions, and according to law, in the general election the number had to be eliminated to two for each position or a total of six candidates on the ballot. However when the results came in Tuesday night, one candidate had been eliminated but the other two lowest vote getters were tied with 105 votes a piece.
Eliminated from consideration in November was Gary T. Kutkas who received 98 votes in the elections. Tied for the last spot available in the general election are David A. Cox and Jay Marshall, who each received 105 votes.
According to Mayor Joe Piccolo the vote will be certified on either Friday or Monday and there are two absentee ballots to be included in the count at that time. That could change situation on the last candidate standing. However, if it doesn’t, the choice will be made with a “draw of the straws” according to the mayor.
Primary elections seldom bring out large amounts of voters and this election was no exception. Overall only 9.84 percent of the registered voters in Price cast ballots on Tuesday.
Candidates that made it into the general election include incumbents Richard Tatton, 327 votes, Stephen L. Denison, 307 votes and Don Reaveley with 184 votes.
Challengers whose names will appear on the general election ballot include Joe Christman, 246 votes, and Mike Metzger, 124 votes.
Price voters will also select one council person in November to fill the remaining two years in the position vacated by Elizabeth Kourianos last Spring. The Price city council named Jeanie McEvoy to occupy the vacant slot several months ago.
McEvoy and Jeffrey H. Nielson are running for the seat. Since it is a two year term and only two candidates were vying for the position it did not appear on Tuesday’s ballot.
In Sunnyside, three seats are up for grabs in November and nine candidates were trying to get into the general election.
The vote count there included Sam Leonard, 41 votes, incumbent Carol Johnson tied with challenger Tony Riffle for 34 votes each, Douglas V. Alger, 29 votes, Sherri Madrid, 28 votes and Cheryl Eck, 10 votes.
Those eliminated from contention in November include Jean M. Cameron, six votes, Kathy Rea, three votes and Dennis Rea, no votes.
The other cities candidates continue to campaign for the November tally. In East Carbon Darma Lopez, Dave Maggio, Joseph Manley and Darrell Valdez are going for the three seats that are open there.
In Wellington, council incumbents Paula Noyes and Glen Wells will run against challengers Robert D. Bertola and Paul R. Childs.
In Helper things have changed from when candidates first filed in the summer. Jim Robertson, an incumbent city councilman has decided to drop out of the race. That leaves only three candidates for three seats. Incumbents Kirk Mascaro and Chuck Buchanan will be on the ballot in November along with newcomer Robert Farrell.
Buchanan was brought into the council by a vote earlier this year when former city councilman Kim Spradling passed away.
Because there are as many candidates as there are seats open on the council all any of them need to receive to be elected to a seat on Helpers governing body now is one vote in the general election.
(Some information in this article was also researched and supplied by Ken Larson, Sun Advocate publisher).