Levies for SH police, library show comfortable support.
Sweet Home’s charter amendment had a strong lead after the initial count in the May 20 election.
The amendment, which would require voters to elect Sweet Home’s mayor rather than the mayor being elected by City Council members, had 80.19% of the 1,319 voters cast — which is 16.94% of the city’s registered voters.
Sweet Home’s police and library operating levies both had comfortable leads.
In the election for Sweet Home School Board seats, Mike Adams and Erin Barstad both appeared to be clear winners in the two races with more than one registered candidate.
As of noon Wednesday, the five-year Police Operating Levy had a strong “yes” vote lead, with 66.61% of the vote.
The library levy, also for five years, had a 67.57% “yes” lead.
Adams, the incumbent, had 61.66% of the votes in the initial tally of votes for the Zone 7 (at-large) seat. Robert Egener had 37.86% as of noon Wednesday.
Barstad, a newcomer to the board, had 60.80% of the votes for the Zone 8 (at-large) seat. Matthew Bechtel, also challenging for the seat, had 48.47%.
Incumbent Amanda Carter was unchallenged for the Zone 2 (Liberty) seat and newcomer Rachel Maynard was unchallenged for the Zone 5 (at large) seat.
No one filed for the Holley seat (Zone 1), but there were 263 write-in votes, so the top vote-getter will likely get that seat if they agree to serve.
Incumbents Dawn Mitchell and Rob Younger ran uncontested for their seats on the Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District Board of Directors, and Jami Snyder was unchallenged for the Position 1 seat on the Sweet Home Cemetery District Board of Directors. No one ran for the Position 2 seat, so that will be filled by appointment by the board.
More votes are likely in coming days as absentee or mail-in ballots arrive at the County Elections Office.