Politics & Government

King Conservation District Moves Supervisor Election Online

The State Agency's election for the volunteer board position runs from Feb. 15 through March 15.

The King Conservation District is holding a public election for one board of supervisor’s position. The election is being conducted entirely online. It began Feb. 15 and extends through March 15 at 9 a.m.

Four candidates are running for the supervisor position are Douglas “Bruce” Elliott, a Kent dairy farmer; Teri Herrera, a Redmond Realtor; Eric K. Nelson, a Duvall dairy farmer; and Preston Prudente, a Sammamish administrator. Supervisors are elected to three-year terms on a volunteer basis.

The district is an autonomous agency created by the state in 1949 as a natural resource assistance agency to educate and advise landowners on becoming good land stewards, according to Sara Hemphill, executive director of the district. It is funded through a $10 tax, paid by landowners. It covers most of King County with the exception of five cities. Woodinville, both the city and unincorported area, is a participant in the district.

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“We are dedicated to helping folks do the right thing for the land,” Hemphill said. “We work in partnership with landowners to educate then on conservation of soil water, the environment. Then we hope they will pass that knowledge on to someone else.”

Motivated by low turnout levels and a concern to make the election more accessible to the general public, the King Conservation District decided to move the election completely online—drawing some criticism over ballot integrity concerns. An estimated one million voters in King County are eligible to vote. Voters from Enumclaw, Federal Way, Milton, Pacific and Skykomish are not part of the district and are ineligible to vote.

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The districts mission is to promoted sustainable use of natural resources through the education of landowners, both private and municipalities. The district is not a regulatory agency, according to Hemphill, and only offers help when called in on a project.

“We are problem solvers. There was a new landowner, from the city who now had their country property and the horses they always wanted. After the first rain, the horses were up to their ankles in mud and muck. We were able to go in and show the landowner how the watershed on that property worked. It ended up with more comfortable horse, a happy landowner, and a better environment.”

In addition to problem solving for private landowners, the district has a grant program to assist cities and the county. In Mercer Island, grants totaling $71,000 were awarded for trail conservation work on the Island Crest Trail.

Check the district’s website for voting information.


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