Two Renton City Council seats are up for grabs in the Nov. 5 general election, including one with no incumbent.
Stuart Avery and Armondo Pavone are running for the seat held by Rich Zwicker, who decided not to seek re-election for Position 2.
Beth Asher is challenging incumbent Terri Briere for Position 6. Briere was appointed to the council in 2000 and won election in 2002.
The Renton Reporter has asked each candidate to respond to questions about their races. In Friday’s paper and on the website, we’re publishing the responses from Avery and Pavone. Briere and Asher will be featured next week.
Ballots were mailed Wednesday and should arrive in Renton mailboxes this weekend, at the latest. Contact the King County Elections Division, 206-296-8683, if you don’t receive a ballot in the next few days.
Voters will received two voters’ pamphlets for the election, an addition from the state for statewide issues and a King County local edition issued by King County. (An earlier version of the story indicated King County was mailing both pamphlets.) They may not arrive on the same day as the ballots.
“Voters can mark and return their ballots starting the day they receive them,” said elections director Sherril Huff. “Getting ballots back early gives voters extra time in case there are any problems with their signatures. It also helps us save taxpayers money since processing is more efficient when ballots come in ahead of the election day deadline.”
For at least the fourth election in a row, Randy Corman is running unopposed for Position 1. Corman is the longest-serving member of the current City Council.
Once again, Renton Municipal Court Judge Terry L. Jurado is running unopposed.
Two Renton School District school board members, Albert Talley Sr. and Pam Teal, are unopposed.
There are two races for positions on the Public Hospital District 1 Board of Commissioners.
Commissioner Sue Bowman is challenged by Dr. Tamara Sleeter for Position 5, which includes Renton. The second race is for the commission seat vacated by Anthony Hemstad and pits Barbara Drennen and Albert P. Haylor, both of Kent.
Countywide, county Executive Dow Constantine is seeking his second term. He’s opposed by Alan E. Lobdell, who previously ran for county executive.
Voters will also decide whether to renew the Emergency Medical Services levy that pays for the countywide Medic One emergency medical services system. The cost is 0.335 cents or less per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
And it’s not too late to register to vote in the general election, if you are currently a resident. Monday, Oct. 28, is the deadline for in-person registration, which can be done at the King County Elections Division headquarters, 919 S.W. Grady Way, Renton. Hours are weekdays, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The county has already sent about 17,000 ballots to voters living overseas and those serving in the military to allow extra time for delivery.
Citizens can return ballots by mail with a first-class stamp, postmarked by Nov. 5, or by 8 p.m. Nov. 5 to any of 25 locations, including ballot drop off boxes, drop off vans, and Accessible Voting Centers.
The Renton headquarters has a drive-by drop-off box.
Voters’ pamphlets are available online at www.kingcounty.gov/elections, at Seattle and King County libraries, and at the Elections Office on Grady Way in Renton.
For more information, visit the Elections website, or call 206-296-8683.
