In record turnout, Douglas school bond passes; Republicans prevail in other races

MINDEN " With a record turnout in Douglas County, voters overwhelmingly supported a continuation bond, designed to allow the school district to keep state funding.

Superintendent of Schools Carol Lark said she was excited to learn the school bond passed.

"I can't even tell you how important it is to this district," she said. "We are facing some serious budget cuts on the operation side and without a new source of revenue for our capital budget, I don't know what we would have done."

Lark credited the victory to the action of the KIDS Committee, which stumped for the bond over the past 18 months.

"The KIDS community deserves a great deal of the credit for this," she said. They worked hard to make sure the community had accurate information. This tells me that the community cares about education."

Sustainable Growth Committee Co-Chairman John Garvin said the passage of the growth management ordinance advisory question should provide commissioners with direction when they discuss Park Cattle Co.'s request on Thursday.

"What a wonderful awareness has been shown by the voters," he said. "We started the committee in August 2001, made the ballot in November 2003 and spent four years in litigation. Finally when the parties started to talk to each other, we came up with a reasonable compromise."

Republicans ruled the roost in Douglas County, though Democrats salved their wounds with the victory of Sen. Barack Obama.

Assemblyman James Settelmeyer hosted the Republican victors at their home in Gardnerville. Settelmeyer bested opponents Democrat JoEtta Brown and Independent American David K. Schumann, with 15,700 votes, to Brown's 8,041 and Schumann's 1,232.

While Douglas County Democrats were universally rejected, Obama precinct captain Debra Chappell was still on top of the world.

"This was the most important night of my life other than the birth of my children and my marriage," she said. "It really meant a lot to me."

Chappell said when she volunteered for the Obama campaign two years ago, she had never been involved in anything with such scope.

She said the results show that while Douglas is still a Republican stronghold, Democrats are taking hold.

"I think it's nice there is a two-party system in Douglas County," she said. "I don't think that's been recognized before."

In the race for Douglas County commissioner, Republican Greg Lynn won over Democrat Anje de Knijf, 16,855 to 7,246. Incumbent Commissioner Doug Johnson defeated Independent American Eric Rieman, 15,872 to 7,506. District 5 Commission candidate Republican Mike Olson defeated Democrat Nancy Epstein, 13,951 to 10,233.

The closest countywide race of the night was between incumbent school board trustee Cindy Trigg and challenger Greg Felton.

Trigg defeated Felton, 10,723 to 9521.

School board incumbent Karen Chessell defeated Charles.

The turnout for the night was 92.29 percent, topping 2004's record 92.04 percent.

In all 25,949 residents voted, fewer than half turning out on Election Day. Only 8,951 people cast ballots on what was in some voting locations a slow day. Nearly half the county's voters cast their ballots early and 3,669 voted absentee.