Maureen Laflin, Anna Zabala and Sandra Kelly took the top three spots in the 2019 Moscow City Council election polls, finishing with 24.65%, 24.14% and 23.49%, respectively. Each will serve a four-year term.
Lafin, Zabala and Kelly each pulled in more than double the number of votes each earned by Mitchell, Urquidez and Berends.
Unofficial numbers show Laflin received the most votes at 4,379. Zabala was close behind with 4,288 and Kelly with a total 4,172 votes.
Mitchell came in fourth of the six with 1,670 votes (9.40%), Urquidez at 1,648 (9.28%) and Berends with 1,605 (9.04%) votes.
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During a watch party at One World Cafe Tuesday night, Zabala said she was excited to see the big turnout of voters and wants to focus on climate change during her next term.
Maureen Laflin is a UI College of Law Faculty member and has worked in the law school’s legal aid clinic for 25 years. She moved to Moscow in 1991. The focus of Laflin’s campaign was employment opportunities, housing and strengthening connections.
Incumbent councilor Anne Zabala is the executive director of Backyard Harvest, a local nonprofit that serves Moscow and surrounding counties to provide fresh produce to food banks. She went to high school in Middleton and moved to Moscow in 2011 to attend UI. Zabala said she focused on discussions and action surrounding alternative transportation, affordable housing, sustainability and smart growth in her first term.
Sandra Kelly works at Palouse Clearwater Environmental Institute. She grew up in Mountain Home, Idaho and moved to Moscow in 2007. Kelly is a member nonprofits and volunteer groups in the community and has experience working with large budgets.
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The Argonaut will continue to follow the Nov. 5 City Council election.
Angela Palermo can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @angelapalermo7