It’s official. Kennewick city council has chosen incumbent Ken Cook, for their next election. He will be sworn in at a ceremony on Tuesday. Here’s what’s happening in Kennewick now.
At the end of August, Kennewick residents will go to the polls and cast a vote for one of two city councilors. The two candidates for this position are incumbent Ken Cook (who is running against council member Ellen Wieck) and challenger Tom Cavanagh. The election results will be announced about two weeks before the final day of the regular city municipal election. It’s important to note that voting in this election is open to all residents of Kennewick. In addition to the city residents, registered voters may also vote at any of the city’s polling places.
It’s important to remember, too, that the election results in Kennewick are not necessarily a foregone conclusion. Councilors are often challenged during their terms. This is especially true if one of the two listed below gets a majority of votes. If no candidate receives a majority, the two seats will be filled by the second highest ranked candidate, or else the seat will go to the councilor with the least number of votes.
Before choosing a candidate for the second seat on the council, the citizens of Kennewick must first elect a city supervisor. Then they can choose a city councilor. Although the city charter specifically states that a councilor may not be a former city employee, it is possible that a current city employee could run for the seat. So, citizens must be careful to read the city charter.
To have an easier time of viewing the election results, some people prefer to use online software. Kennewick City Council provides election results and other information on its web site. To access this site, a person simply clicks on the “City Council” tab at the top of the page. Other links will take the person to each councilor’s bio information.
After viewing the election results, citizens are encouraged to take a look at the budget and spending plan. The city manager and the finance director are selected to preside over the running of the council. The budget is the basis for all spending in the community. It dictates how much money the council will get from property taxes. It also tells how the money will be spent for things such as utilities, budgets, debt service, and special projects.
After reviewing the budget, citizens are encouraged to attend council meetings regularly. They can be sure that all councilors are truly interested in the needs of the citizens of Kennewick. Regular meetings give the public a chance to voice their opinions about the city and any issues that they have. They can also make suggestions to improve city services, make improvements in the fire station, or increase the lighting around town. It is the duty of the chairperson and members of the board of directors to listen and answer questions.
At the end of the year, election results will be posted for all registered voters to see. Anyone can register to vote, and anyone can vote. voting is confidential and is done only once. If no one registered to vote at the end of the previous year, an election will be held immediately. Election results can be found on the City Clerk’s website.
Because of the many benefits that Kennewick offers the residents, many people move to the community each year. Kennewick is a quaint community located about an hour from Seattle and is home to over fifty businesses. There are several parks in the area where city residents can relax during their leisure time. Kennewick is considered to be a quiet and laid back community. Its small size keeps the traffic moving in this wonderful community.
The city residents get to choose a city councilor by simple voting for those who they want to join their community. Each councilor represents a specific citizen of the city and each citizen gets to vote for whom they think should serve on the council. The current councilor is incumbent until next year when a new election will be held. Councilors are voted in with the most votes winning the position. The new councilor will be chosen by the citizens of Kennewick.
Each councilor must then file their financial information with the treasurer of Kennewick. This information is used to determine what the next councilor will receive each year. City election results are also posted on the City of Kennewick’s website. The website contains all of the election results as well as how each councilor has performed. This information makes it easy for residents to vote for the councilor that they think will best serve the community.
