Local races fill with candidates as filing period closes

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With candidate filing closed, county races have filled up with several contested races.

In Blaine County, the race for the seat in County Commission District No., 2 has both a contested primary and general elections.

The June 7 primary has incumbent Frank DePriest facing Kevin Melville and Shane Fox on the Republican ticket.

The winner of that election will face Democrat Todd Jorgenson, who is unopposed in the primary, in the general election Nov. 8.

The other Blaine County candidates are unopposed. Incumbent Blaine County Sheriff/Coroner John Colby has filed for re-election, and Pauly B. Miller has filed as a Republican in the race for Blaine County clerk and recorder/assessor. Incumbent Tammy Williams did not file as a candidate.

Tori MacLean DesRosier had filed as a Democrat for re-election to Blaine County treasurer and was unopposed as of this morning, as was incumbent Blaine County Attorney Kelsie Whitney Harwood, who also is running as a Democrat.

Incumbent Blaine County Justice of the Peace Perry Miller also is unopposed in his bid to retain the nonpartisan justice position.

Chouteau County has two contested elections, with incumbent Commissioner Clay Riehl facing Dan Wirth in the Republican primary, with no other candidates filed in that race.

Seth Broesder and Sissy Felton have filed as candidates in the nonpartisan race for Chouteau County justice of the peace. Incumbent Susan Spencer did not file for re-election.

The other races in Chouteau County are unopposed, Republican Sheriff Vern Burdick’s race for reelection, Republican Clerk and Recorder Lana Claassen, Republican Chouteau County Attorney Stephen Gannon and Chouteau County Treasurer Toni Eckhoff, who also has filed for reelection as a Republican.

Hill County has one contested primary race and one contested general election ballot, with the rest running unopposed.

Deputy clerk and recorders Tina Louise Salazar and Lexis Dixon are facing off in the Democratic primary for Hill County clerk and recorder. Incumbent Sue Armstrong has not filed for re-election and no other-party candidates have filed.

In the race for the Hill County Commissioner seat up this year, Republican incumbent Diane McLean faces the commission’s executive assistant, Sheri Williams, in the general election. Williams has filed as a Democrat.

The other Hill County races have incumbents running unopposed for reelection. Those are Hill County Justice of the Peace Audrey Barger in that nonpartisan race, Hill County Sheriff/Coroner Jamieson Ross, a Democrat, Hill County Auditor Kathy Olson, also a Democrat, as is Hill County Treasurer/Assessor Sandy Brown, while Hill County Superintendent of Public Schools Vicky Proctor, who was appointed in August, has filed as a Republican to retain her seat.

Incumbent Liberty County Sherriff Nick Erickson also is facing a challenge in his bid for reelection.

In the Republican primary, Erickson faces candidates Jim Hofer and Darbie Wentworth.

All of the other Liberty County races were uncontested as of this morning, including the nonpartisan race for justice of the peace, now held by Holly Fredreckson, with Chris Chase the sole candidate.

Also uncontested were the incumbents running for reelection, all as Republicans. Those are Liberty County Clerk and Recorder Davin Buffington, Treasurer Denise Wanken, County Attorney Robert Padmos and Commissioner Joette Woods.

Legislative races

In local legislative races, Sen. Russ Tempel, R-Chester, is facing a primary challenge and the winner of that has a challenger in the general election as well in Senate District 14.

That district includes Havre and western Hill County as well as Liberty County, all but the northwest corner of Chouteau County and includes the northeast tip of Cascade County.

Tempel will face Republican Steven Chvilicek of Havre in the primary. The winner of that race will face Democrat David Brewer in the general election.

First-term Rep. Ed Hill, R-Havre, has filed for re-election, the sole Republican candidate in House District 28 that includes most of Havre, but faces Bear Paw Development Corp. Executive Director Paul Tuss, a Democrat, in the general election in that race.

And a challenger has arisen in Rep. Casey Knudsen, R-Malta’s, bid for reelection in House District 33, which runs from the northeast corner of Hill County through northern Phillips County. Jordan Ophus of North Havre has filed as a Democrat in that race.

In the other legislative seats up for election, in House District 27 that runs from Liberty and western Hill County through Chouteau County and the northeast corner of Cascade County, and House District 32, that includes the southeast corner of Hill and the northwest corner of Choteau counties and southern Blaine County, the incumbents are unopposed. Rep. Josh Kassmier, R-Fort Benton, represents HD 27 and Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, represents HD 32.

Statewide races

In statewide races, incumbent Montana Supreme Court Justice Jim Rice faces Bill Dalton and incumbent Supreme Court Justice Ingrid Gustafson faces James Brown and Michael F. McMahon. Those races are nonpartisan.

The race for the Public Service Commission seat in District 1 that includes Blaine, Chouteau, Hill and Liberty counties also has a contested primary.

Incumbent Republican Randy Pinocci faces Arlo M. Christianson in that race. K. Webb Galbreath had filed but is listed as having withdrawn.