Last modified: Wednesday, November 8, 2006 10:42 AM PST Sara Mattos | Argus Observer Jeff Attebery (front) and Mark Mullins (to Attebery's right) were busy marking their ballots Tuesday afternoon at Fruitland City Hall. There was a steady line of voters coming in and out of the City Hall with a total of 223 by 1:15 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. Voters choose Sali Julie Engel | Argus Observer Payette Even though local races in Payette County were largely uncontested, other state races in Idaho came down to the wire early this morning. Payette County residents voted mostly in line with the rest of Idaho for the state races and initiatives. All results listed are unofficial, gathered from the Idaho Secretary of State Web site. Results for the Payette County Recreation District Commissioners do not have a final tally yet. While the First District Congressional remained a tight race throughout the evening, by this morning returns showed Republican Bill Sali had defeated Democratic opponent and Fruitland native Larry Grant. With 920 of 955 precincts reporting Sali, Kuna, claimed 113,302 votes, or 50 percent. Grant had 101,157 votes, or 45 percent. Voters in Payette County had similar percentages, with unofficial results reporting Sali with 54 percent of the vote and Grant with 41 percent. The State Senate District 9 race between Republican incumbent Monty Pearce, New Plymouth, and Democratic challenger Tony Edmondson, Weiser, came down to voters in Payette County. Unofficial results show Pearce with 6,793 votes to Edmondson's 4,324. Edmondson fared well in Washington County with 1,493 votes to Pearce's 1,926, but in Payette County the margin between Pearce and Edmondson was more than 1,500 votes. Pearce said this morning he looks forward to two more years in the Idaho Senate and continuing projects left over from the last legislative session. Pearce said the high school math and science requirements are important, but it will also be necessary to address young students to prepare them for high school. Also, voters voiced their approval for the property tax initiative, Pearce said, which shows the legislature made the right move regarding the tax cuts. “I think the people are grateful and they are starting to see their tax really is different,” Pearce said. Idahoans voted against Proposition 2 with a resounding 74 percent margin. Payette County voters also voted against the land use proposition by a 67 percent margin. Proposition 2 would have defined eminent domain when private ownership or economic development was involved, and it also would have required cities and counties to compensate landowners if land use changes affected property values. Though the vote was closer, Idahoans also shot down Proposition 1 with 55 percent voting against the initiative. Proposition 1 would have directed the Idaho Legislature to find a way to fund public schools equal to 1 percent of the sales tax, or about $220 million. Payette County voters agreed with the state with 62 percent of residents voting against the initiative. Idahoans around the state also were clearly in favor of Gov. Jim Risch's property tax relief plan approved in a special session in August. Unofficial results show 72 percent of Idahoans supported the plan. Payette County voters also supported the plan with a 72 percent approval rating. Many states throughout the nation considered marriage amendments to their constitutions, and 63 percent of Idaho voters felt the amendment was needed for the state. H.J.R. 2 will define marriage as that between a man and a woman as the only legal union recognized in the state. Payette County felt more strongly about the amendment with 72 percent of residents voting for the measure.