Final countdown for candidates, money measures on Tuesday
8 p.m. deadline to return ballots for Nov. 3 general election.
Updated
EPHRATA — Six months after filing opened for public office, Election Day arrives Tuesday for a dozen candidates in six contested races in Grant County. In addition, four local money measures are on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Polls close at 8 p.m. To be counted, ballots must be returned to designated collection sites or postmarked by then. Because there can be delays in mail processing, procrastinating voters are advised to return their ballot to a drop box if possible to ensure it is received on time.
Information — including sample ballots, voter guides, collection sites, and same-day registration — is available on the county elections department website.
The candidates and courthouse positions to be decided are:
Assessor — Republican Anson Bartrand of Beverly and Clayton Johnson of Ephrata, a nonpartisan;
Auditor — interim county auditor Shannon Falstad of Ephrata and challenger Darci Homesley of Moses Lake, both Republicans;
Commissioner/District 3 — Shannon Durfee of Quincy and Kelly Raap of Ephrata, both Republicans.
Sheriff — incumbent Joey Kriete and challenger Darrik Gregg, both Republicans from Moses Lake;
Superior Court Judge/Position 3 — Trevor Bevier of Soap Lake and Ken Chadwick of Moses Lake, both vying for the nonpartisan seat.
Another nonpartisan position — for the District 3 seat on the Grant County PUD board of commissioners — has write-in candidate Jacque Rasmussen challenging incumbent Larry Schaapman. Both are from Quincy.
The ballot also includes eight unopposed candidates, all of whom are already holding office with one exception. The incumbents are county clerk Kimberly A. Allen, R-Soap Lake; coroner Craig Morrison, R-Moses Lake; prosecutor Brandon Guernsey, R-Moses Lake; treasurer Carrie Heston, NP-Ephrata; district court judges Brian Gwinn and Nick Wallace, both nonpartisans from Moses Lake; and Grant PUD commissioner Nelson Cox, NP-Warden.
The lone newcomer is Tom Middleton of Ephrata, a superior court commissioner who will move to the district court bench to succeed retiring Judge Brian Barlow.
All of the county positions carry four-year terms beginning Jan. 1 except the Grant PUD/District 3 commission seat, which has a six-year term.
ON THE MONEY ….
Depending on where they live within the county, voters will decide four separate funding measures on the Nov. 3 ballot. The propositions are:
McKay Healthcare and Rehabilitation bond proposition
SOAP LAKE — Grant County Public Hospital District No. 4 commissioners and project boosters are hoping area residents will support a $9.94 million, 30-year construction bond proposal — the first in the Soap Lake nursing care facility’s 88-year history. If approved by a 60% vote, it would add an estimated 61 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation to local property taxes. That’s just over 15 dollars a month, or $183 a year, for the owner of a $300,000 home.
Proponents have also actively pursued additional state and federal funding dollars to finance construction of 16 assisted living units, 16 memory care units, and a multi-generational community wellness center with child daycare on the hospital campus. Advocates expect the project to be completed in 2029, add 30 permanent jobs and provide $4.5 million in annual economic benefits while providing vital elder-care services close to home.
Grant County Fire District No. 7 levy lift
LAKEVIEW PARK — In 2022, voters within Grant County Fire District No. 7 approved an excess property tax levy to fund emergency medical services, which had previously been paid from department’s general fire protection budget. The levy rate was set 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation.
But officials said the number of EMS calls has increased substantially in recent years and now comprise about 85% of the district’s service responses. Additionally, federal grant funding for two fulltime EMT positions is set to expire at the end of this year.
As a result, voters are being asked on Nov. 3 to raise the levy collection rate to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation. If approved, the levy lift would be in effect for six years beginning in 2027. For the owner of a $300,000 home, the rate increase would equate to about $6.25 a month, or $75 a year.
City of Moses Lake public safety tax
MOSES LAKE — Residents here will consider increasing their local sales-and-use tax by 0.1% — the equivalent of 1 cent on every $10 purchase — to provide additional funding dedicated to police and public safety services.
The proposition would raise the current sales tax rate from 8.5% to 8.6%. Moses Lake city council members in June unanimously opted to place the propositionon the ballot for voters to decide.
If approved, the sales-tax hike would take effect in April 2027 and is expected to generate an estimated $1.27 million annually in additional revenue to address inflationary costs and rising demands for service.
Wilson Creek Cemetery District M&O replacement levy
WILSON CREEK — Local voters are being asked to renew an existing one-year, maintenance-and-operations levy for the Wilson Creek Cemetery District.
The estimated tax rate in 2027 remains unchanged from the current rate of 17.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation within the district. It would collect $12,000 next year to pay for M&O expenses, up $500 from the current collection amount.
Area residents have traditionally supported this annual measure: in 2025, it received nearly 79% voter approval.
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Final countdown for candidates, money measures on Tuesday
8 p.m. deadline to return ballots for Nov. 3 general election.
EPHRATA — Six months after filing opened for public office, Election Day arrives Tuesday for a dozen candidates in six contested races in Grant County. In addition, four local money measures are on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Polls close at 8 p.m. To be counted, ballots must be returned to designated collection sites or postmarked by then. Because there can be delays in mail processing, procrastinating voters are advised to return their ballot to a drop box if possible to ensure it is received on time.
Information — including sample ballots, voter guides, collection sites, and same-day registration — is available on the county elections department website.
The candidates and courthouse positions to be decided are:
Assessor — Republican Anson Bartrand of Beverly and Clayton Johnson of Ephrata, a nonpartisan;
Auditor — interim county auditor Shannon Falstad of Ephrata and challenger Darci Homesley of Moses Lake, both Republicans;
Commissioner/District 3 — Shannon Durfee of Quincy and Kelly Raap of Ephrata, both Republicans.
Sheriff — incumbent Joey Kriete and challenger Darrik Gregg, both Republicans from Moses Lake;
Superior Court Judge/Position 3 — Trevor Bevier of Soap Lake and Ken Chadwick of Moses Lake, both vying for the nonpartisan seat.
Another nonpartisan position — for the District 3 seat on the Grant County PUD board of commissioners — has write-in candidate Jacque Rasmussen challenging incumbent Larry Schaapman. Both are from Quincy.
The ballot also includes eight unopposed candidates, all of whom are already holding office with one exception. The incumbents are county clerk Kimberly A. Allen, R-Soap Lake; coroner Craig Morrison, R-Moses Lake; prosecutor Brandon Guernsey, R-Moses Lake; treasurer Carrie Heston, NP-Ephrata; district court judges Brian Gwinn and Nick Wallace, both nonpartisans from Moses Lake; and Grant PUD commissioner Nelson Cox, NP-Warden.
The lone newcomer is Tom Middleton of Ephrata, a superior court commissioner who will move to the district court bench to succeed retiring Judge Brian Barlow.
All of the county positions carry four-year terms beginning Jan. 1 except the Grant PUD/District 3 commission seat, which has a six-year term.
ON THE MONEY ….
Depending on where they live within the county, voters will decide four separate funding measures on the Nov. 3 ballot. The propositions are:
McKay Healthcare and Rehabilitation bond proposition
SOAP LAKE — Grant County Public Hospital District No. 4 commissioners and project boosters are hoping area residents will support a $9.94 million, 30-year construction bond proposal — the first in the Soap Lake nursing care facility’s 88-year history. If approved by a 60% vote, it would add an estimated 61 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation to local property taxes. That’s just over 15 dollars a month, or $183 a year, for the owner of a $300,000 home.
Proponents have also actively pursued additional state and federal funding dollars to finance construction of 16 assisted living units, 16 memory care units, and a multi-generational community wellness center with child daycare on the hospital campus. Advocates expect the project to be completed in 2029, add 30 permanent jobs and provide $4.5 million in annual economic benefits while providing vital elder-care services close to home.
Grant County Fire District No. 7 levy lift
LAKEVIEW PARK — In 2022, voters within Grant County Fire District No. 7 approved an excess property tax levy to fund emergency medical services, which had previously been paid from department’s general fire protection budget. The levy rate was set 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation.
But officials said the number of EMS calls has increased substantially in recent years and now comprise about 85% of the district’s service responses. Additionally, federal grant funding for two fulltime EMT positions is set to expire at the end of this year.
As a result, voters are being asked on Nov. 3 to raise the levy collection rate to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation. If approved, the levy lift would be in effect for six years beginning in 2027. For the owner of a $300,000 home, the rate increase would equate to about $6.25 a month, or $75 a year.
City of Moses Lake public safety tax
MOSES LAKE — Residents here will consider increasing their local sales-and-use tax by 0.1% — the equivalent of 1 cent on every $10 purchase — to provide additional funding dedicated to police and public safety services.
The proposition would raise the current sales tax rate from 8.5% to 8.6%. Moses Lake city council members in June unanimously opted to place the proposition on the ballot for voters to decide.
If approved, the sales-tax hike would take effect in April 2027 and is expected to generate an estimated $1.27 million annually in additional revenue to address inflationary costs and rising demands for service.
Wilson Creek Cemetery District M&O replacement levy
WILSON CREEK — Local voters are being asked to renew an existing one-year, maintenance-and-operations levy for the Wilson Creek Cemetery District.
The estimated tax rate in 2027 remains unchanged from the current rate of 17.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation within the district. It would collect $12,000 next year to pay for M&O expenses, up $500 from the current collection amount.
Area residents have traditionally supported this annual measure: in 2025, it received nearly 79% voter approval.