SoHum voters favor fire protection in early tallies

Southern Humboldt residents voted on three measures and the selection of a Salmon Creek Fire Protection District director on Tuesday.

The early results show voters are heavily invested in having improved fire protection services.

The final election night results show roughly 30% of registered voters were counted. But a final tally on the number of voters might not be available until Friday when the next update on results will be issued, Humboldt County Registrar of voters, clerk and recorder Juan Pablo Cervantes told the Times-Standard on Wednesday morning.

He noted that in the past few years, voting habits have shifted.

“Voter turnouts have changed drastically since COVID,” Cervantes said.

Measure S asked voters about the creation of the Salmon Creek Fire Protection District. As of Tuesday night, 96.88% of voters approved the measure while only 3.13% opposed it.

“The formation of the Salmon Creek Fire Protection District would not change the delivery of fire protection and emergency response services but instead formalize fire protection responsibility that has historically been provided by goodwill services,” the impartial analysis of the measure stated. “The Salmon Creek Volunteer Fire Company has been serving the Salmon Creek area since 1978 and currently supports its fire protection operations through fundraising, donations, and grants. The Salmon Creek Volunteer Fire Company would continue to provide fire protection services on behalf of the Salmon Creek Fire Protection District.”

In a similar vote for Measure T that asked about a special tax to fund the district, early votes are overwhelmingly approving the move. The measure, in early tallies, has 95.92% approval versus 4.08% opposition.

“This is necessary for the survival of our volunteer fire department during these turbulent financial times and without voter approval of this special tax, we will not be able to form a fire protection district,” the argument for the tax stated. “A special tax will generate a consistent, long-term,