Valley Snapshots

What’s on the ballot?

Rebecca Neipp

News Review Staff Writer

New elected leadership at every level of government and 11 state measures are up for voter approval in the Nov. 6 General Election.

Early input indicates that some of the Indian Wells Valley residents have already begun to cast their permanent absentee ballots. Although absentee ballots continue the trend toward the preferred form of voting, those results still will not be revealed until after the polls close at 8 p.m. on election night.

Among the issues voters will decide on include the President of the United States, which is expected to be either Republican ticket candidate Mitt Romney with Paul Ryan or the Democratic incumbent Barack Obama with Joseph Biden. Other challengers include Libertarian candidates Gary Johnson-James Gray, Peace and Freedom candidates Rosanne Barr-Cindy Sheehan, Green Party candidates Jill Stein-Cheri Honkala or American Independent candidates Thomas Hoefling-Robert Ornelas.

The top votegetters in California’s first-ever open primary for U.S. Senator are Republican Elizabeth Emken and Democratic incumbent Dianne Feinstein. House of Representatives incumbent Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, is challenged by Terry Phillips, who did not state a party preference.

State Assemblywoman Shannon Grove (R) is facing Democrat Mari Goodman.

For Kern County 1st District Supervisor, voters will chose between Mick Gleason and Roy Ashburn. (See related story.)

Kern County Water Agency Director for Division 2 Incumbent Fred “Terry” Rogers is challenged by Retired Sheriff Deputy Daures Stephens and Rancher Bruce Hafenfeld.

The race for Sierra Sands Unified School District Board of Education, in an unusual situation because of the recently approved reduction of the board, sees three incumbents and a challenger vying for two seats. Michael Scott, Bill Farris and Tim Johnson are being challenged by Randy Jenkins.

Ridgecrest voters will also have their first opportunity to directly elect the mayor — a newly created two-year seat on the Ridgecrest City Council. Retired Educator Dan Clark, Vice Mayor-China Lake Program Manager Jerry Taylor and Pastor Randy Jenkins are vying for the seat.

Ridgecrest voters can also vote for two of the following seven candidates seeking four-year terms on the council: Mayor-Retired Educator Ronald Carter

County Field Representative Lori Acton

Aerospace Engineer Jim Sanders

Businessman Thomas Wiknich

Data Link Operator Henry Wilson

Retired Businessman William “Dale” Howard

Deputy District Attorney L. Scott Garver

IWV voters will select three board members for Indian Wells Valley Airport District from the following candidates:

Aerospace Engineer-Pilot Axel Alvarez

Senior Manager Eileen Parlet Shibley

Incumbent F. Paul Farris Jr.

Aerospace Manager Paul “Booger” Valovich

Air Traffic Controller Steven Morgan

Incumbent Mark Backes

The Indian Wells Valley Water District Board of Directors has three full-term seats open for the top vote-getters from among the following candidates:

Incumbent Don Cortichiato

General Contractor Chuck Cordell

Incumbent Leroy Corlett

Business Owner-Engineer Ron Kicinski

Retired Judie Decker

Self-Employed Contractor Charles D. Griffin

Pastor Randy Jenkins

A two-year seat on the water district board is contested by Retired Don Jo McKernan and Business Owner “Duke” Martin.

State Propositions include:

Prop 30: Establishes temporary taxes to fund education

Prop 31: Amends state constitution to establish a two-year state budget

Prop 32: Prohibits payroll-deducted contributions to candidates

Prop 33: Allows insurance companies to set prices based on whether drivers previously carried insurance

Prop 34: Repeals death penalty and replaces it with life without parole

Prop 35: Increases penalties for human trafficking

Prop 36: Revises three-strikes law to impose life sentence only when new felony conviction is violent or serious

Prop 37: Requires labeling of genetically engineered food sold to consumers

Prop 38: Establishes tax to fund education and early childhood programs

Prop 39: Requires multi-state businesses to pay income taxes based on percentage of sales in California

Prop 40: A “Yes” approves and a “No” rejects new State Senate districts drawn by the Citizens Redistricting Commission

Sample ballots include information on your local polling place. For more information see also elections.co.kern.ca.us.