Two weeks left to file for seats in May special election

May elections, in odd-numbered years, are about choosing the people who set policy and make decisions for many special districts that oversee basic services, from schools and parks to road, fire, sewer and water districts.

But it can be hard to drum up voter interest in such races – and also to fill the many candidate slots, especially for smaller, lesser-known entities.

Money and other measures also can share the ballot, but often there are few if any.

This spring, however, there’s a large one for Redmond-area voters to decide on.

Deschutes County Clerk Nancy Blankenship said the Redmond Area Parks and Recreation (RARPD) is currently putting the only two measures on the county’s May ballots.

“For this election, the Redmond Parks and Recreation District is moving a bond and a levy through,” Blankenship said. “At this moment, that is at the process of the challenge period. So we have published (a legal notice) in the paper. That’s required by statute. Monday, March 11 will be the deadline if anyone has an issue with the ballot title, and they can challenge that in circuit court.”

Last month, the RARPD Board voted unanimously to ask voters for a bond that would be 55 cents per $1000 of assessed property value for 20 years, as well as a five-year operating levy that would be about 19 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Katie Hammer, the park and rec district’s executive director, said Thursday, “The bond would build a new community center that would have an aquatic portion, a leaser pool, a lazy river, water slides and zero-depth entry. (And) non-aquatic recreation. So a gym with basketball corts which can also be used for pickleball, volleyball, other indoor court sports, and flex space for other types of classes, sports camps and stuff like that.”

The new facility would also include an elevated walking track and a fitness studio. The current facility would remain in use for a lap pool.

The $40 million bond is for construction of the facility. The levy would cover operational cost of the new recreation center.

If you’re interested in running for a one of the nearly 60 position in this May’s special election, the deadline to file is just two weeks away.

Positions on the ballet include ones at Central Oregon Community College, the Deschutes Public Library, the school districts, fire districts, and water and sewer districts.

Blankenship said the May special election used to be held in March, but there was an issue with candidates having time to file after the holidays.

In the early 2000s, it was moved to May to give candidates have more time to file.

She said voter turnout for this off-year election over the past eight years has ranged from 19 to 35 percent, but she believes the special elections are just as important as the primaries and general elections.

“In a special district election, these folks are touching your life, or these entities are touching your lives. Your children and grandchildren go to school. Most all of us go to the public library for one thing or another. Whether its just listening to an audio book or doing some studies, the library is an institution that touches all of our lives. Water districts, fire districts, emergency services are a big part of our life.”

Blankenship also said she believes it’s important to be aware of who’s representing you and to be sure that you get the opportunity to choose who you want to represent you.

If no one files for candidacy of a position and if no one also writes in a nameor a write-in declines the nominations, the board involved then assigns someone to the position.

For more on Deschutes County candidate openings and filing deadlines, visit: https://www.deschutes.org/clerk/page/may-21-2019-special-election.