Elect Pete Gertonson For County Commissioner

September 2, 2010 Bridges Latest Campaign Ad!

Pete Gertonson's Campaign Ad for Nez Perce County Commissioner makes a point about how two bridges in different states join people into one community.

August 7, 2010 Sweetwater Days A community celebration! Sweetwater Days Cellerbration! A major metropolis of Nez Perce County is the community of Sweetwater, population: 85!

(Above) Here I'm with parade Royalty! (Below) Yep, I was entree # 12 in the Parade, right behind Sweetwater Royalty and fortunately, just in front of the horses! Otherwise, I would have been carrying a pooper scooper!
	Luckily for the Sweetwater folks, Dan Johnson and I were the only two political Candidates to show up and enter the parade! They graciously allowed us a few moments to speak. Dan is running for a non-partisan Port of Lewiston Commissioner seat and I'm, of course, running as a Democrat for the District 3 seat of Nez Perce County Commissioner.

August 3, 2010 Kiwanis National Night Out
I joined fellow Kiwanians at Beach View Park in Clarkston Tuesday evening August 3 for our annual National Night Out project. The weather is often hot, but that does not curtail the appetite for hot elephant ears. We always sell out early. Dennis Hastings is the Chairman for the event and he has a Washington State Food Handlers certificate so we are legal. Workers have signed up to do the job, but additional help would be welcome. As this is being written all the stored supplies and equipment are waiting in Marion Shinn’s garage ready for pick-up. The first workers (and supplies) should be at the park a little after 4 p.m. so the first scones are ready for sale at 6 p.m.

July 30, 2010 KLEW TV Nez Perce County Democratic Candidates Help in Fundraiser!
LEWISTON - Lewis Clark Credit Union held a fundraiser Friday for the Children's Miracle Network and some local politicians got in on the action. The event featured Nez Perce County commissioners Doug Zenner and Ron Wittman, along with commissioner candidate Pete Gertonson, and State Representatives John Rusche and Liz Chavez, all getting drenched by water balloons to raise money. There was also a rock climbing wall run by the National Guard, music and food. By noon, they had already raised $3,000 for the charity.

July 14, 2010 Nez Perce Democratic Picnic: Candidates Arm-wrestle over the issues!
You know it seems there's always issues. At our annual Democratic Picnic Keith Allred, Democratic Candidate for Governor (right) and I sat down to talk. One thing led to another and soon we were both arm-locked in a fierce battle of words. Personally, I thought I had Keith on the ropes, but he out smarted me with a compromise I would have been foolish to ignore. Keith Allred, white, & blue, is truly a Governor for all Idaho!


June 28, 2010 Lewiston Morning Tribune By Sandra L. Lee
Commission candidate was top spender in primary election An unsuccessful candidate for Nez Perce County Commission was the big spender in last month’s primary election, according to final financial disclosure forms filed last week. Mike Acree, a retired county employee running his first campaign, reported total campaign expenditures of $7,939. His opponent for the District 2 seat, incumbent Ron Wittman, spent $968 to hang on to the Democratic nomination. As both Acree and Wittman pointed out when the first round of reports also showed Acree sharply ahead in spending, Wittman had a financial advantage of having signs already purchased for previous campaigns. Acree loaned his campaign most of the money he spent and zeroed it out at the end. Wittman noted $525 in 11 unitemized contributions, meaning they were $50 or less. Wittman, who secured 61.99 percent of the primary vote, will face Republican Douglas Havens in the Nov. 2 general election. Havens, a former Lewiston city councilor, was unopposed in the primary and reported no contributions or expenditures. In the hotly contested District 3 race, which had two Democrats and three Republicans running, Democrat Pete Gertonson raised $3,688 and spent just $2,414, leaving $1,274 going into the general election race against incumbent Republican Douglas A. Zenner. Zenner reported contributions of $941 and expenditures of $892, leaving himself just $49 to start the race for re-election. Both Zenner’s Republican opponents spent more than he did. Richard (Jim) Finley financed his own campaign, spending $3,819. Steve R. Jenkins also contributed the bulk of his campaign cost of $1,051. Gertonson’s primary opponent, Rick Milionis, reported total expenditures of $530, including $170 owed to himself. Four candidates who were unopposed in the Democratic primary and also have no general election opponent reported no contributions or expenditures. They are Patty O. Weeks, Barbara A. Fry, Daniel J. Anderson and Gary L. Gilliam.

May 26, 2010 KLEW TV By KLEW Web Staff
LEWISTON - As the morning broke across the region Wednesday, some political hopefuls were celebrating upset victories while others were wondering what happened in races they were favored to win. There were no surprises in the Nez Perce County commissioners races, as Democrat Pete Gertonson easily defeated Rick Milionis with 75 percent of the votes in the 3rd Dist. race. In the Republican 3rd District contest Doug Zenner garnered 56 percent of the vote, with Jim Finley finishing second and Steve Jenkins a close third. In the 2nd District, incumbent Democrat Ron Wittman won over Mike Acree, with 62 percent of the vote. Wittman will face former Lewiston mayor Doug Havens in November. Havens ran unopposed. Voter turnout was 20 percent in the county.


May 26, 2010 Lewiston Morning Tribune By Sandra L. Lee
Nez Perce County incumbents among winners
The two winners of Democratic races for Nez Perce County Commission seats Tuesday night acknowledged they have their work cut out for them this fall. Ron Wittman, 53, incumbent in commission District 2, won against Mike Acree, 57, a retired foreman in the county's road and bridge department, 1,020 to 627, but the total votes cast in the two Democratic races was slightly less than the total received by unopposed Republican Douglas Havens who tallied 1,696 votes. It was the same situation in the District 3 race, where Pete Gertonson, 58, chairman of the Democratic Party and a retired postal employee, beat Rick Milionis, 57, by 1,168 to 396, or with 74.68 percent of the vote. Their vote total was 598 less than cast in the Republican primary. Milionis is employed by the county's court services department. Gertonson will face incumbent Commissioner Douglas W. Zenner, 57, in the Nov. 2 general election. Zenner easily won the Republican nomination for a third term, taking more votes than his two opponents combined. Zenner received 1,217 votes, or 56.3 percent, with Richard (Jim) Finley, 58, second with 477 votes, and Steve Jenkins, 56, a close third with 468. Jenkins was fired earlier this month from the county's court services department for undisclosed reasons. Finley is an independent contractor in technology management. "I'm very thankful, very humble and I look forward to the fall," Zenner said. "I appreciate all the people who turned out to vote." He declined to talk further about the race. Wittman, who held the lead all night over Acree before finishing with 61.99 percent of the vote, said, "I would just say I appreciate that my opponent has proven to err is human and I have a few errors I need to correct in the general election to be able to win this fall. Wittman said he did all he could to show the voters he's trying to do what is correct and right in the commissioners office. He's been disappointed throughout the campaign that more of the candidates haven't shown up for budget presentations, because that's how they would learn how the county really operates. That includes Havens, who hasn't been in attendance, Wittman said. "It will be a fight this fall and I'm willing to step in and do what I can to retain my job. I love it. It's something I honestly feel of the two who are here now I'm the best suited to be in that position." Gertonson said it's going to take the votes of the undecided and independents to win in November. People may vote the party in the primary, but after that they pick the person they believe can do the best job. The only thing that being party chairman helped him with, he said, is that he's gone through five elections and seen what has worked and what hasn't. "It's experience that gave it to me, not being chairman. You take nothing for granted and you run hard." He complimented Milionis, who serves on the Culdesac School Board, for being willing to run. "He's active in the community and we need a lot more people like that running for office." Voter turnout was poor in the county at 20.22 percent, or 4,126 of 20,406 registered voters going to the polls. Those voting Republican totaled 2,356, or 57.1 percent and Democratic voters numbered 1,770 or 42.9 percent. More than 600 absentee votes were cast, a record for a non-presidential election year, Clerk-Auditor Patty Weeks said earlier in the day.

May 20, 2010 Lewiston Morning Tribune: Letters to the Editors By Harley Williams
Being a Washington resident means that I can't vote in Idaho elections. However, during the first 40 years of my life as an Idaho resident, I developed a lasting interest in things that affect Idaho and Nez Perce County. So since I can't vote for Pete Gertonson, a candidate for election to the Board of Nez Perce County commissioners, I strongly urge you to support his campaign with your vote. Gertonson, a lifetime resident of Nez Perce County, is retired from the U.S. Postal Service. And it was in that capacity that I got to know him. For several years during that time he delivered our mail, Gertonson did his job as well as it could be done and gained the admiration and respect of his patrons. I have talked with Gertonson and I recognize the fact that he is an excellent coordinator of various opinions. His work as the Nez Perce County Democratic chairman is an excellent example of his leadership ability. Gertonson impresses me as a person who is more interested in doing things right for Nez Perce County rather than political ambition. It is his opinion that the present commissioners are doing OK but he feels he can make it a more cohesive legislative body. Being a Democrat in Idaho is like the proverbial "onion in the petunia patch," but Gertonson has handled it very well. I urge you to drive up to Waha and visit with him or get on the phone and talk to him. He will be glad to discuss county issues with you. Harley Williams Clarkston