By Brenda Starkey
Chronicle staff

     REPUBLIC - Ferry County voters favor a non-motorized rail trail, according to preliminary counts of a non-binding advisory measure that appeared on the Nov. 3 ballot.
     In contested, off-year preliminary election results, voters gave the nod to Larry Heming over Alex Wirt for Republic City Council, Ralph C. Ellingson over Linette Richie for Republic School Board and Kim McElheran over Jim Davidson for Curlew School Board, according to figures from the county auditor's office.
     With a 53.76 percent voter turnout, 1,384 ballots, or 61 percent, favored a non-motorized rail trail, compared to 884, or about 39 percent, wanting motorized use of the 28-mile rail corridor between Torboy and Danville, according to the preliminary results.
     The county measure is an advisory vote and county commissioners are not required to abide by it, although at least one has said he would.
     In another unofficial election-night count, Larry D. Heming took 160 votes, or 57.35 percent, compared to 119 votes, 42.65 percent, for incumbent city Councilman Alex Wirt, according to the auditor's office.
     Incumbent Councilman Dave Michel received 202 votes in an unopposed race while Valerie J. Hester, running unopposed for the position being vacated by DiAnne Hewitt, got 162, according to the unofficial election night tally.
     Two school board positions, one in the Republic district and one in Curlew, were contested.
     Kim McElheran received 242 votes for 57.35 of the ballots cast in both Okanogan and Ferry counties, while former school board director Jim Davidson took 180 votes, 42.65 percent , according to the auditor's office.
     They were running for school director No. 1 position being vacated by Harold Strandberg.
     Incumbent Brad Miller received 322 votes for an uncontested seat on the Curlew School Board, according to combined unofficial returns from Okanogan and Ferry counties.
     In the Republic district, incumbent Ralph C. Ellingson received 713 votes from Okanogan County and Ferry County voters for 72.68 percent of the unofficial results, compared to 268 ballots, 27.32 percent, for Lynette Richie.
     Richard Eich, who was unopposed for the Republic School Board, received 796 votes, according to the unofficial results from both counties.
     In Ferry County Hospital District No. 1, Ron Bacon got 1,288 votes, Stella Windsor garnered 1,278 and Nancy Betschart reeived 1,220 for uncontested commissioner positions, according to the Ferry County Auditor's Office.
     In the Keller School District, Jasin Wellons received 64 votes, Particia A. Conant got 62 and Cheryl Richmond earned 61 in uncontested races, according to the auditor's office.
     For uncontested Orient School Board positions, Gabe Kerr took 91 ballots, Brad Armstrong 95 and Michele Fisher 74, according to the Stevens County Auditor's Office. This ballot count reflects unofficial results from both Stevens and Ferry counties
     In Valley School District, Karen Hoffman received 136 votes while Richard Whitney took 153, according to the Ferry County Auditor's Office. Both positions were uncontested.
     In Kettle Falls School District, which is divided between Ferry and Stevens counties, Donald A. Pratt got 967 and Erin Buckley-Noonan took 970, according to the unofficial results. Each was running for uncontested.
     Susan Dechant received 313 ballots in an unopposed race for commissioner in Fire District No. 3, while John E. Jensen received 649 votes for a similar position in Fire District No. 13 and Landon Swafford took 366 votes in Fire District No. 14, according to the Ferry County Auditor's Office.
     Troy Reynolds, running unopposed for Curlew Water District commissioner, received 17 votes, according to the unofficial election night tally.
     In state measures, 1,162 Ferry County voters, or 52.46 percent, approved Tim Eyman's Initiative 1033 concerning state, county and city revenue, while 1,053, or 47.54 percent, voted against it, according to the auditor's office.
     Statewide, the measure was failing in unofficial returns, with 428,354 voting yes and 533,476 voting no.
     Approximately 63 percent, or 1,400 Ferry County ballots, rejected Referendum 71 concerning rights and responsibilities of state-registered domestic partners, while 821, or some 37 percent, approved the measure, according to the auditor's office.
     Statewide, the measure was passing on election night, with 506,936 yes votes to 484,567 no votes.
     The final ballot count will be at 1 p.m. Nov. 24, and the election will be certified on that date, according to the auditor's office.