Carbon voters also approve Proposition 1
Vote stations saw sporadic activity throughout the day during the Carbon County Municipal General Election Tuesday. “It comes in spurts,” said one election judge at the Carbon County Event Center. Clerk/Auditor Seth Oveson reports an overall turnout of 18.9 percent of active registered voters. Three-point-four percent of voters cast ballots during the nine-day early voting period.
The election included municipal races for Price, Helper, Wellington, East Carbon and Scofield, a seat on the Price River Water Improvement District board, and a ballot proposition for a sales and use tax to fund local transportation improvements.
During the 2015 general session of the Utah legislature, lawmakers approved a five cents-per-gallon gasoline tax increase, and also authorized counties to impose a one-quarter of one-percent sales tax– if approved by voters. The revenue from the tax on gasoline will be used for transportation projects statewide, while the sales and use tax will be divided among the counties, towns and cities for the specific purpose of transportation improvements such as roads, trails, sidewalks, maintenance, and safety features.
Proposition 1 was on the ballot in 17 Utah counties and was approved by voters in 10 counties.
According to the unofficial results from the Clerk’s office, the sales tax was approved by Carbon County voters, with 57.68 percent for and 42.32 percent against the proposition. The tax will go into effect January 1, 2016. It will not apply to sales of food.
East Carbon
East Carbon City had a “super council” of 11 members after the consolidation with Sunnyside, that went into effect on January 1, 2014. Two subsequently resigned, and the council was further downsized to five in Tuesday’s election.
Those elected to four year terms on the East Carbon City Council include incumbents David F. Avery, and Barbara J. Robinett, both with 21.54 percent, and newcomer Chuck Abeyta with 19.49 percent. Also rans included incumbents Larry D. Wood who received 18.41 percent, and Karla C. Young with 13.96 percent. Newcomer Vincent Coffin got 5.05 percent of the vote.
Ruby Cordova won a two year term on the East Carbon City Council with 36.44 percent, as did incumbent Philip Holt, who garnered 29.19 percent of the vote. Other candidates were John Huitt who received 21.93 percent of the vote, and incumbent Tony Lee Riffle who was turned away with 12.44 percent.
East Carbon Mayor Doug Parsons ran unopposed and will serve another term.
Helper
Voters in Helper elected three new council members to four-year terms, including write-in candidate Tom Williams with 27.43 percent of the vote; Amanda Wheeler with 27.53 percent, and David Dornan with 21.26 percent.
Other candidates included incumbents Kirk Mascaro who received 19.13 percent of the vote, and Jason Llewelyn who received 4.66 percent. Llewelyn is on unpaid administrative leave from his position as Carbon County Emergency Management Director after being charged with misuse of public money. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 20 in Seventh District Court. Incumbent Robert Bradley did not run for reelection.
Wellington
Wellington voters elected three city council members, including Paula Noyes who received 28.78 percent of the vote, and incumbents Glen Wells with 28.06 percent, and Marvon Willson with 23.50 percent. Incumbent Pete Yakovich, with 19.66 percent, was denied in his re-election bid.
Scofield
Two candidates were elected to four year terms on the Scofield Town Council. Carol Levanger got 52 percent of the vote and Jim Nicolodemos pulled in 48 percent.
PRWID
Voters in unincorporated areas of the county voted to elect former general manager Phil Palmer to the Price River Water Improvement District Board. He received 59.26 percent of the vote, defeating Steven W. Rigby who garnered 40.74 percent.
In Price, council members Wayne Clausing, Rick Davis and Layne Miller ran unopposed, and were re-elected to four-year terms.
Carbon County Clerk Seth Oveson says there may be a handful of provisional or by-mail ballots yet to be counted, and the results are considered to be unofficial until after the canvass of the election on November 16.