A long election night of counting ballots ended in Kootenai County much like it did throughout the state and nationwide - in a wave of GOP victories.

There are 68,940 registered voters in Kootenai County.

The results from all precincts and absentee ballots were posted at 1:15 a.m. Wednesday on the county elections office's website.

Jim Risch swept his way into a second term as United States senator. Kootenai County voters gave Risch 70 percent of their votes over Democatic opponent Nels Mitchell.

Congressman Raul Labrador will continue representing Idaho District 1 in Washington, D.C. Labrador, who was challenged by Democrat Shirley Ringo, garnered 67 percent of the Kootenai County votes.

Butch Otter will remain in the governor's office. In Kootenai County, Otter earned 60 percent of the votes cast in a six-way race. His top challenger, Democrat A.J. Balukoff, won 32 percent of the votes cast in the governor's race in Kootenai County, and Libertarian candidate John Bujak won 5 percent.

Brad Little won a three-way race for lieutenant governor, earning 66 percent of the votes cast in Kootenai County. His Democratic challenger, Bert Marley, won 30 percent of the votes. Constitution Party candidate David Hartigan captured the remaining 4 percent.

The race for secretary of state was won by Republican Lawerence Denney, who was challenged by Democrat Holli Woodings. Denney garnered 66 percent of the votes cast in Kootenai County.

State Treasurer Ron Crane will remain in his office for another term. Crane won 67 percent of the Kootenai County vote over Democrat Deborah Silver.

Lawrence Wasden earned another term as Idaho attorney general. Wasden, a Republican, won 70 percent of the votes cast in Kootenai County, beating Democratic challenger Bruce Bistline.

The statewide race for superintendent of public instruction was narrowly won by Republican Sherri Ybarra who captured 51 percent of the votes cast statewide. Locally, the margin was wider. In Kootenai County, Ybarra beat Democratic challenger Jana Jones with 63 percent of the votes.

In the local legislative races:

* District 2

Republican Vito Barbieri held onto his seat in the Idaho House of Representatives. Barbieri won with 66 percent of the votes over Democrat Cheryl Stransky.

* District 3

Ron Mendive, a Republican, will continue in his seat in the Idaho House. Mendive won by a 70 percent margin over Democratic challenger Michelle Lippert.

* District 4

Republican Mary Souza won a state Senate seat with 75 percent of the vote over Constitution Party candidate Ray Writz.

* State House seat B will remain filled by Republican Kathy Sims, who earned 55 percent of the vote to beat Democrat Anne Nesse.

In the county races:

The District 1 county commissioner's seat was won by Republican Marc Eberlein who earned 66 percent of the votes cast, beating Democrat Bruce Noble.

In District 2, David Stewart, a Republican, won with 67 percent of the vote over Democrat Jerry Shriner.

Republican Jim Brannon was elected county clerk. Brannon beat challenger Larry Belmont, a Democrat, with 68 percent of the vote.

Steve Matheson, a Republican, won the county treasurer's position with 68 percent of the vote over Democratic challenger Janet Callen.

Republican Mike McDowell earned 73 percent of the votes cast in the county assessor's race. McDowell beat Democatic challenger Shirley McFaddan.

Voters in the Kootenai-Shoshone Sewer and Water District elected Dave Fortier for superintendent. Fortier beat challenger Edward Pommerening with 53 percent of the vote.

Statewide, Idaho voters narrowly rejected a constitutional amendment which would have allowed lawmakers to reject rules created by executive branch agencies.

The amendment failed by a slim margin, collecting 50.3 percent opposing votes, despite it being unanimously supported by Idaho lawmakers.

Locally, the amendment was nixed by a slightly wider margin. Kootenai County voters opposed the ballot initiative by 56 percent.