Final Hill County precinct counted in 2020 election

4:00 a.m. With the report on the final precinct printed at 3:02 a.m., the votes from all precincts in Hill County have been accounted for.

In the unofficial results, a Republican and a Democrat each took an open seat while a Democrat looks to hold onto his seat, and Havre voters approved switching the city’s form of government while Hill County voters approved a mill levy for county ambulance service.

State Rep. Jonathan Windy Boyd, D-Box Elder, held off a challenge from Republican Bruce Meyers, who held the seat at one time, with Hill County voters giving Windy Boy the nod with 577 votes to Meyers’ 418.

The seat, for House District 32, also includes parts of Blaine and Phillips counties, and the Secretary of State Website shows, with all 10 precincts in all counties counted, Windy Boy winning with 2,239 votes to Meyers’ 1,669.

In the race in House District 28 that includes much of Havre to take the place of Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre, who did not run for re-election, Republican Ed Hill won with 2,293 votes, defeating Democrat Krystal Steinmetz, who took 2,132 votes.

In a race that went back-and-forth for the lead as precincts were counted, Democrat Jacob “Jake” Strissel ended up winning the Hill County commission seat now held by Democrat Mike Wendland, who did not run for re-election.

Strissel defeated Republican Mark Wicks, 3,586 to 3,379.

Havre voters approved switching the city to a charter form of government, giving the city more flexibility in what ordinances it can pass, 2,183 to 1,786.

And the Hill County voters approved a mill levy to help fund ambulance service outside of Havre with 1,905 “yes” votes to 995 “no” votes.

In state and federal elections, Hill County went almost universally Republican, with the county giving only Democrat Melissa Romano in the state superintendent of public instruction race the win, 3,405 to incumbent Republican Elsie Arntzen’s 3,347 although with more than 57 percent of the precincts in the state reported Arntzen is winning that race 268,480 to 238,454.

Hill County favored Republicans in the presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, attorney general, secretary of state and state auditor’s races, mirroring the state so far with 57.47 percent of precincts counted

1:30 a.m. With the last precinct counted for Havre, Republican Ed Hill appears to have taken the state House seat being vacated by Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre.

Hill has 2,293 votes to Democrat Krystal Steinmetz’ 2,132 votes.

In the only precinct in so far for House District 32, which stretches from the corner of Chouteau County and southeast Hill County to Philips County, Republican G. Bruce Meyers is leading incumbent Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, in Hill County, although the Secretary of State Website show’s Windy Boy in the lead overall. With eight of 10 precincts counted, Windy Boy leads with 1,749 to Meyers’ 1,542 votes.

The proposal to change Havre to a charter form of government appears to have been approved by the voters, with the “yes” votes at 2,183 and the “no” votes at 1,726.

With some county precincts still to be counted, the voters are in favor of approving a mill levy for county ambulance service, with 591 “yes” votes so far and 347 “no” votes.

11:45 p.m. With five precincts now counted, Republican Ed Hill has taken a lead in the race for state House District 28. Hill leads Democrat Krystal Steinmetz 1,506 to 1,477.

The race for Hill County Commissioner still has Democrat Jacob "Jake" Strissel in the lead over Republican Mark Wicks, 1,511 to 1,424.

And the yes votes for the Havre city charter form of government also still have the lead, with 1,549 votes for yes and 1,229 for no.

11:15 p.m.

With the first two Hill County precincts counted, precincts 1 and 2, Democrat Krystal Steinmetz is taking a slight early lead over Republican Ed Hill in the race --to take the place of state Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre, representing House District 28. Steinmetz is ahead 566-478, with two precincts counted.

Bachmeier is not running for re-election.

The vote on converting Havre to a charter form of government is ahead on the yes votes, 487-414.

Democrat Jacob "Jake" Strissel leads Republican Mark Wicks in the race for Hill County commissioner, 561-460.

Incumbent Commissioner Mike Wendland is not running for re-election.

The precincts, both in Havre, do not have votes for House District 32, where Republican G. Bruce Meyers is challenging incumbent Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, or the vote on a levy to fund the county ambulance service.

Watch for those and the tallies in the other races as the count progresses.

9:40 p.m. The ballot counting machine has been running in the Hill County Clerk and Recorder's Office and precinct results are expected to start being issued soon.

8 p.m.

The polls are now closed in Hill County and counting of the ballots will begin.

Watch here for updates and Wednesday's edition of The Havre Daily News for full election coverage.