Recommended Candidates for the May 19 Primary
The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC) has released its list of recommended candidates for the May 19 Primary. The list is available at KCRCC.com.
The KCRCC is made up of Precinct Committeemen who are elected every two years by the residents of each of the 74 precincts in Kootenai County. Because of this, the KCRCC is unique because it represents a true cross-section of the entire county, from Athol to Worley and from Harrison to State Line. No other organization has this broad representation.
All candidates running for office are welcome to participate in our rating process. Most choose to participate, while some do not. The process begins with the candidate completing a questionnaire. Next, the candidate is invited to appear before the Vetting Committee for an interview. The Vetting Committee consists of about a dozen members, with two-thirds being precinct committeemen and one-third respected individuals from the community. A professional background check is also conducted to uncover any legal or financial issues.
Precinct Committeemen are encouraged to attend candidate forums and other events so they can gain firsthand experience with the candidates. The KCRCC also hosts a dedicated meet-and-greet event specifically for the committeemen to question the candidates one-on-one.
Finally, the voting members of the KCRCC hold a special Executive Session meeting to consider the candidates. Each committeeman receives a worksheet listing all the candidates so they can take notes during the reports and discussions. For each office under consideration, the Vetting Committee chairman presents a report on every participating candidate, followed by open discussion and testimony. No hearsay evidence is allowed; only firsthand information is considered.
Once all discussion and debate have concluded, it is time to vote. Three tabulators are appointed and approved by the members. Ballots are distributed to each member to mark their selections. When finished, members place their ballots face-down on the table and announce their precinct to the secretary, who records that they have voted. The ballots are then shuffled and turned over to the tabulators, who examine them one at a time and transfer the votes onto a tabulation sheet. All committeemen present are welcome to observe the tabulation.
Once the votes are totaled, the tabulators sign the tabulation sheet and the chairman reads the results aloud to the assembly. The assembly then votes to accept the results. Committeemen are invited to examine the totals and take pictures to post on social media. A photo of the final results is posted on the KCRCC Facebook page within minutes of acceptance.
These meetings typically last three to four hours. Hundreds of volunteer hours go into producing these recommendations. No other organization has a process for recommending candidates that is as detailed and transparent as ours.
The process is meticulous and thorough to ensure accuracy and fairness. Secret ballots that are tabulated immediately in full view of the entire assembly eliminate any opportunity for fraud or “rigging” of the results. Any claims of impropriety are baseless and without merit. When former Councilman Gookin made a false claim of fraud, he was sued for defamation, which ultimately resulted in a $25,000 payment to the KCRCC Legal Defense Fund.
Please review your official Republican Party’s recommended candidate list at KCRCC.com. In the coming days there will be candidate forums and other events where you can get to know the candidates. The KCRCC strongly encourages voters to take advantage of these opportunities to become better informed about their choices in this election. Good decisions require good information.
It’s just common sense.
Apr. 3rd, 2026