November 8, 2023
Bannock County–The unofficial results for last night’s local elections have been posted to the county’s webpage, here.
School Districts
The Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 Board of Trustees had two positions on the ballot yesterday. In Zone 3, incumbent Jim Facer successfully defended his seat from challenger Martin Simmons, receiving 55.78% of votes cast. In Zone 4’s open seat, Raymond Knoff defeated his opponent, Marty Vizcarra, by a margin of nearly 11.5%.
SD25 also had a bond on the ballot, requesting funds to update Highland High School and expand the gym at Century High School. While a simple majority of voters did support the bond, the percentage voting in favor was far less than the supermajority (66.67%) required to pass the bond. The school district’s Board of Trustees will meet today at 4:30 p.m. to assess alternative options for repairing Highland High School.
Marsh Valley School District 21 also had a school board position on the ballot. Lorrie Lowe won that race, receiving 23 votes more than her opponent, Jesse Don Bartschi.
City Elections
In Chubbuck, Melanie Evans won the election for Council Seat 3, defeating opponent Annette Baumeister by 64 votes.
In Downey, Charles Sorensen won the Fire election with 63.57% of votes cast.
In Inkom, Joe Chandler and Joel Jolley were chosen to sit on the council, receiving 36.96% and 25.65% of the total votes cast.
In Lava Hot Springs, Jeanie Avery and John Head won seats on the city council, receiving 37.24% and 29.08% of votes cast. Vicky Lyon won the mayoral election, receiving 52.29% of the vote.
The city of Pocatello had three council positions on the ballot. All three of the seats were filled by appointment last year when council members Claudia Ortega, Roger Bray, and Chris Stevens resigned.
Appointee Scott Marchand chose not to run for election to Pocatello’s Council Seat 1. Hayden Paulsen will take that seat in January, having received over 1,500 votes more than his nearest opponent.
Mayoral appointees Brent Nichols (Pocatello City Council Seat 2) and Corey Mangum (Seat 3) retained their seats by margins 17.72% and 40.92%, respectively.
