COEUR d’ALENE — Election Day is almost here.

Every Republican voter in the county has contested local races on the ballot for Tuesday’s primary election and voters affiliated with various parties will have contested races for statewide and federal office. Visit voteidaho.gov to check a sample ballot before heading to the polls.

Here’s a look at some of the major races in Kootenai County. 

Kootenai County races 

In the race for commissioner District 1, John Padula and Julie Hensley will fight to claim the Republican nomination for the seat currently occupied by Marc Eberlein, who did not run for reelection. 

In District 2, incumbent Bruce Mattare faces challenger Steve Em in the Republican primary election. 

All four commissioner candidates have identified growth and its management as a key issue facing Kootenai County. 

Incumbent Kootenai County Assessor Bèla Kovacs was appointed to his position in 2020 and elected in 2022 after fending off a challenger in the Republican primary election and a write-in candidate in the general election. 

This year, he’ll face Republican challenger Allyson Knapp in the primary election. Knapp is a former chief deputy assessor for Kootenai County. 

With longtime Kootenai County Treasurer Steve Matheson not seeking reelection, Teresa Mallery and Carlos Zamora are each vying to win the Republican primary election for the position. Mallery is a treasury specialist accountant who has worked in the Kootenai County Treasurer’s Office for nearly 20 years, while Zamora is a retired finance professional with 40 years of experience in global banking and financial markets. 

Kootenai County Clerk Jennifer Locke will face Republican challenger John Samuelson in the primary election. Locke was elected in 2022 and had previously served as the county’s chief deputy clerk since 2017. Samuelson has an academic background in electrical engineering and experience as a small business owner. 

In the nonpartisan race for District Judge, Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney Ben Allen will face Lisa Chesebro, the Trial Court Administrator for Idaho’s First Judicial District. 

Legislative races 

After 16 years in the Idaho Legislature, Republican Vito Barbieri is seeking reelection to the District 3A seat in the House. He’ll face challenger Eric Seeley in the primary election. 

Barbieri said he sees artificial intelligence and other technological implements, government spending and property tax as some of the top issues facing Idaho. Seeley said his priorities, if elected, include increasing government accountability, enacting “aggressive tax” and promoting “the traditional family unit.” 

In the District 4B race, Republican incumbent Elaine Price is facing challenger Christa Hazel, a former Coeur d’Alene School District trustee. 

If reelected, Price said her priorities include updating Idaho’s outdated public-school funding formula, as well as rolling back government spending. She said she aims to keep Idaho’s government “accountable, disciplined and responsive to the people it serves.” 

Hazel said some of the biggest issues facing Idahoans are affordability, workforce shortages and making sure schools are preparing students for real opportunities. She said she’ll prioritize keeping taxes low, supporting career and technical education and making responsible decisions about state spending, all to help families stay in Idaho and raise their children here. 

Levies on ballot

Voters in the Lakeland Joint School District will weigh a request for a $3 million-per year, five-year plant facilities levy.

If approved, the funds will support facility improvements, safety upgrades and maintenance at the district's 11 schools in the Rathdrum, Athol, Spirit Lake, Garwood and Twin Lakes communities, according to the district.

If at least 55% of voters approve the 2026 levy request, an estimated $30.24 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value would appear on yearly property tax bills.

Facilities levy funds would be used for projects such as general preventive maintenance, safety and security improvements, window and door replacements and electrical and plumbing needs.

Twin Lakes Elementary, Lakeland's newest school at more than 20 years old, needs repairs to its exterior fascia due to icicle and water damage, according to the district. Its failing boiler system was replaced this year with money from the last plant facilities levy.

Lakeland's last plant facilities levy, which supported capital improvements at $1.146 million per year for two years, expired June 30, 2025. A little more than 55% of voters approved the levy in May 2023 on a reduced timeline, after an initial attempt for a six-year, $1.146 million-per-year facilities levy received only about 49% approval.

Voters in the Kootenai County Fire and Rescue service district will decide on a two-year levy override.

The measure would authorize the district to collect up to $5.2 million per year for two years beginning in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. This levy requires a simple majority to pass.

The estimated average annual cost to taxpayers would be $37.77 per $100,000 of taxable assessed property value.

KCFR operates under a state law that generally limits property tax budget growth to 3% per year. The temporary levy would allow the district to supplement that base budget.

The money would support staffing, equipment and operational needs to maintain services across the district, according to KCFR.