Ephrata general election update
NANCE BESTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 weeks AGO
Ephrata voters had 10 local matters to vote on during the general election including nine candidates and one bond. Of the candidates, seven ran unopposed.
COURTESY PHOTO/CITY OF EPHRATA
Ephrata Mayor Pro Tem and council member Matt Moore sought re-election unopposed and received around 940 votes.
EPHRATA – Ephrata voters had nine candidates and the Columbia Basin Hospital Bond to vote upon during the general election. Of those races, seven of them were candidates who ran unopposed.
Here are the updated vote counts as of Nov. 5. The election will not be certified until Nov. 20. There are around 4,600 ballots left to count, according to the Grant County Auditor.
Mayor
Candidate Steve Oliver is in the lead with about 670 votes or around 54% of the vote. Incumbent Bruce Reim has around 580 votes or close to 46% of the vote. There were five write-in candidates.
Read more about the mayoral race here: bit.ly/3X2oifX
Hospital
The Columbia Basin Hospital District position two had two candidates. Pamela McLaren has around 1,400 votes or about 74% of the vote. Danny Bohnet received around 490 votes, or 26%.
The hospital also had a $30 million bond proposition to voters for the second time. Around 1,200 people have rejected the measure, and 900 have voted in favor of it. The measure needed 60% of the vote to be approved.
“The November 4, 2025, preliminary election results indicate that the $30M bond request is not approved by the voters of our public hospital district,” Chief Executive Officer Rosalinda Kibby said in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. “While this is unfortunate news, it is expected. Our community, and many others around us, is experiencing challenging economic times. The impact to the hospital will slow growth in essential areas yet we remain committed to pursuing how we will afford the changes that are needed to provide the best quality and lowest cost of care possible.”
Read more here: bit.ly/4hQ8gPG.
School board
Three candidates ran unopposed for positions three, four and five of the Ephrata School Board.
Board member Casey Devine received around 1,500 votes. There were 14 write-in votes. She was appointed Jan. 16.
Board Chair Jim Adams received around 1,400 votes with 15 write-in votes. He was elected in 2019.
Board member Matthew Truscott received nearly 1,400 votes with 18 write-in candidates. He was appointed Apr. 22, 2024.
Council
Ephrata City Council positions one, two, three, and six were voted on, all unopposed.
Council member Sarah McDonnell did not seek re-election for position one. James Mathis ran unopposed and received nearly 850 votes. There were 14 write-in votes.
Council member Kathleen Harris received around 850 votes. There were 14 write-in votes.
Mayor Pro Tempore and council member Matt Moore received nearly 940 votes. There were 15 write-in candidates.
Council member Phil Borck received about 910 votes. There were 15 write-in candidates.
Ephrata Mayor Pro Tem and council member Matt Moore sought re-election unopposed and received around 940 votes.ARTICLES BY NANCE BESTON
Mayor Peter Sharp takes oath of office
SOAP LAKE – Grant County Commissioner Kevin Burgess adminstered the oath of office to Mayor Peter Sharp Wednesday. Sharp was previously appointed to this role at the Sept. 18, 2024, council meeting after his predecessor Allen DuPay quit during the Aug. 7, 2024, meeting.
Newhouse, colleagues introduce infrastructure bill
WASHINGTON D.C. — On November 21, 2025, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers introduced the Urban Canal Modernization Act, HR 6279, aimed at addressing the deteriorating condition of urban canal infrastructure across the country. This legislation, sponsored by Representatives Dan Newhouse, R-WA; Mike Simpson, R-ID; Adam Gray, D-CA; and Russ Fulcher, R-ID focuses on providing federal support for the extraordinary operation and maintenance of urban canals deemed to be at significant risk of failure. “As communities in Grant County and elsewhere face serious risks from aging canal systems, it is imperative that we act now to ensure vital water infrastructure is maintained and upgraded,” Newhouse wrote in a statement. “The Bureau of Reclamation’s canals are in dire need of repairs, and the surrounding communities who rely on them would be at risk if they were to fail. This legislation provides local authorities with additional resources to manage these critical pieces of infrastructure while protecting the people and property around canals of concern.”
Ephrata water tower waiting for final tests
EPHRATA — The City of Ephrata is still waiting for the final testing to come back to the water tower. The city had originally hoped the tower would be connected to the water system by Thanksgiving; however, the intensive water testing is taking longer than anticipated.