NEW — 3:26 p.m. Sept. 30, 2015
Former Newcastle Planning Commissioner Rob Lemmon’s voters’ pamphlet statement begins with a declaration.
“I’m Rob Lemmon, and I was a candidate.”
“Was” is the operative word there, as Lemmon withdrew from the Newcastle City Council Position No. 3 race shortly after he filed. Due to what he called a “logistics” issue, King County Elections did not receive his withdrawal paperwork in time, so his name will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.
But make no mistake, he is not a candidate for the Newcastle City Council, Lemmon said.
“During the process of filing, potential work commitments came to light. New things came up and I had to reconsider it,” Lemmon said.
Residents will see four City Council positions up for grabs when general election ballots hit mailboxes this month. Incumbents Gordon Bisset and Carol Simpson will each run unopposed to retain their seats.
The council is guaranteed to welcome two fresh faces, as newcomers look to fill spots held by Mayor Steve Buri and Councilwoman Lisa Jensen, who both decided not to file for re-election.
Planning Commission Chairman Allen Dauterman is the lone candidate for Position No. 3, after Lemmon’s withdrawal. He has served on the city’s seven-person Planning Commission since 2010.
In his voters’ pamphlet statement, Dauterman said Newcastle must increase its retail tax base, and the best way to do that is through redevelopment of the downtown area. But he also adds that development should occur with a quality that “complements our community.”
“Over time, our codes have evolved to allow grossly oversized buildings with thousands of parking stalls in our small downtown area,” he said. “My voice will demand that our codes be rewritten to ensure that development meets an appropriate size and quality for downtown Newcastle.”
The only truly contested Newcastle City Council race is for Position No. 1, with current Community Activities commissioners Linda Newing and Victoria Sandoval both vying for the spot.
In her voter’s pamphlet statement, Newing talks about Newcastle’s growth and the strain it is putting on city infrastructure.
“We must minimize impact of projects, such as Energize Eastside, on our residents,” she said. “I support rethinking downtown development to guarantee we maintain our neighborhood character.”
If elected, Sandoval writes that she is committed to preserving Newcastle’s community feel through managed growth, and doing it while keeping taxes limited.
“Growth must be managed both to keep the community feel that we all love and to make sure revenue to the city keeps up with demand without unfairly burdening residents,” she said.
Newcastle residents will also see races for Renton and Issaquah school district board positions and a Coal Creek Utility District commissioner spot on the November ballot.
In the Issaquah School District, there are three spots up for election, but only one candidate vying for each. Incumbent Directors Anne Moore and Suzanne Weaver will retain their positions, while Harlan Gallinger is running unopposed to fill the spot vacated by Brian Deagle.
Incumbent Todd Franceschina will run unopposed for his Renton School Board seat, but longtime board member Lynn Desmarais drew a challenger for her Director District No. 3 seat. Desmarais and Larry Wright will compete for the spot.
In his voter’s pamphlet statement, Wright, an accountant and U.S. Navy veteran, said his goal is to “focus on our students.”
“Our children are the future in the community,” he said. “No child should be left behind, and should have equal opportunity to education.”
Desmarais, a 14-year board member and parent of three Renton schools graduates, wrote that she takes her role as an “advocate for quality education” seriously.
“With strong leadership and a talented community of teachers and support staff, the district has made remarkable progress while rising to the challenges of increasing academic and accountability requirements,” she said.
Newcomer Gloria Hodge is running unopposed for the final Renton School Board position. Hodge writes in her statement that she is “not a politician,” she just wants to serve her community.
Finally, incumbent Douglas Kunkel, a hydrogeologist, is the lone candidate for his Coal Creek Utility District commissioner spot.
King County Elections will mail ballots to registered voters Oct. 14. Voters must return their ballots by mail, postmarked no later than 8 p.m. Election Day, Nov. 3.
In Washington, you may register to vote if you will be at least 18 years old on Election Day and a resident of Washington for at least 30 days prior to the election, according to the election website.
The deadline is Oct. 5 for online voter registration. Oct. 5 is also the deadline for updating registration information. For those not yet registered to vote, in-person registration continues until Oct. 26. You may register to vote in person at either the Renton election headquarters, at 919 Grady Way, or the King County Administration Building at 500 Fourth Ave., Room 440, in Seattle. Call 206-296-8683 to learn more about in-person registration.
Register to vote online and get general voting information, including voter’s pamphlet information, at kingcounty.gov/elections.