Local Election Results

(UNDATED) – PONDERA COUNTY COULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED THE HOTBED OF LOCAL ELECTIONS IN YESTERDAY’S PRIMARY WITH TWO CONTESTED COUNTY RACES AND THREE LEVY ISSUES.

            IN THE PONDERA COUNTY RACE FOR CLERK OF THE DISTRICT COURT, CHALLENGER LAURIE EISENZIMMER SOUNDLY DEFEATED INCUMBENT KARA THOMPSON 1038 TO 486.   THE TWO CANDIDATES HAD TRADED BARBS IN THE PRE-ELECTION DAYS CONCERNING MAINLY COURTE0USNESS AND PROFESSIONALISM.

            CHALLENGER JANICE HOPPES, CURRENTLY THE CLERK AND RECORDER IN PONDERA COUNTY, DEFEATED INCUMBENT CYNDI JOHNSON IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER

919-600.

            THREE LEVIES WERE ALL APPROVED BY VOTERS…….A PONDERA COUNTY LIBRARY LEVY APPROVED 1192 TO 674.    AN ONGOING LEVY FOR THE PONDERA COUNTY RURAL FIRE DISTRICT APPROVED 765 TO 114.  AND A PONDERA PORT AUTHORITY LEVY WAS APPROVED 961-855.

            PONDERA COUNTY ALSO HAD ONE OF THREE CANDIDATES FOR THE 9^TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT JUDGE’S SEAT.    MARY ANN RIES WHO WON THE VOTE IN PONDERA AND TETON COUNTIES BUT COULDN’T OVERCOME THE EVEN STRONGER VOTE THAT BOB OLSON HAD IN GLACIER AND TOOLE COUNTIES.    THE FINAL VOTE HAD OLSON WITH 2633……RIES WITH 2212 AND GREG DUNCAN WITH 1822.  RIES AND OLSON WILL MOVE ON TO THE GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.   (DUNCAN BEAT OLSON IN PONDERA COUNTY AND WAS ONLY 5 BEHIND OLSON IN TETON COUNTY)

            A DEMOCRATIC COMMISSION RACE IN GLACIER COUNTY WAS NOT DECIDED UNTIL THE LAST 5 PRECINCTS REPORTED.     IN THE END RON RIDES AT THE DOOR, THE INCUMBENT DEFEATED CHALLENGER JOHN OVERCAST 929-812.

            TWO HOUSE DISTRICT RACES INVOLVING PONDERA, GLACIER AND TOOLE COUNTY SAW FORRESTINA CALF BOSS RIBS DEFEAT

JASON SMITH  472-415.  PORTIONS OF LAKE AND MISSOULA COUNTY ALSO VOTED ON  THE HOUSE DISTRICT 15 RACE.

            IN HOUSE DISTRICT 16 INVOLVING GLACIER AND A PORTION OF TOOLE COUNTY…..LEA WHITFORD EASILY DEFEATED RODNEY “FISH” GERVAIS 863-190.   WHITFORD WILL NOW CHALLENGE REPUBLICAN INCUMBENT LILA EVANS IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

            IN TOOLE COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR DEB BRANDON DEFEATED RANCHER “BUTCH’ GILLESPIE BY JUST 10 VOTES

490-480.

            AND CURRENT 9^TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT JUDGE LAURIE McKINNON LOST HER BID FOR A SEAT ON THE STATE SUPREME COURT BARELY TO ED SHEEHY.    THE FINAL TALLY SHOWED SHEEHY WITH 34% OF THE VOTE…..McKINNON WITH 33.5% AND ELIZABETH BEST WITH 31.2%.