Voters to decide array of posts, issues

Control of city councils and school boards is up for grabs as ballots for the Nov. 5 general election begin arriving later this week in the mailboxes of voters across the Inland Northwest.

Most of the races in municipal election years are nonpartisan, but northeast Washington features a special election for the remainder of a state Senate term.

Additionally, Washington voters will see several statewide ballot measures, including the political slugfest over labeling of genetically modified foods, and several nonbinding advisory issues on tax changes made by state lawmakers earlier this year.

Washington voters should have their ballots by Friday, and they must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 5, or earlier in order to be counted. Ballots also can be taken to drop boxes located at all public library branches across Spokane County.

In Idaho, voters in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls are replacing longtime mayors. Although most Idaho ballots are still cast at the polls on Election Day, increasing numbers of voters are requesting through their county elections office to vote absentee by mail. Absentee ballots must arrive at the county elections office by 8 p.m. on Election Day in Idaho in order to be counted.

Visit our elections page to get a look at most contested races in Spokane and Kootenai counties. Reporters Jim Camden, Nina Culver, Nicholas Deshais, Lisa Leinberger and deputy city editors Scott Maben and David Wasson contributed.