Final Hill County unofficial election results released

4 p.m.

The unofficial primary election results have been released in Hill County, and in local races Hill County Deputy Clerk and Recorder Lexis Dixon has won the Democratic primary in the race for Hill County Clerk and Recorder, and although Republican Steve Chvilicek of Havre won the county in his race to unseat incumbent Sen. Russ Tempel, R-Chester, in the race for Senate District 14, with results in the rest of the district it appears Tempel won the primary.

Watch for full results in Blaine, Chouteau, Liberty and Hill counties in Thursday’s edition of Havre Daily News.

The printer on the ballot counting machine broke after 12 precincts were counted in Hill County, and the staff at the Clerk and Recorder’s Office stayed for some two-and-a-half more hours trying to get it working, but went home about 1:30 a.m. hoping the count could resume today.

This afternoon, the final results, unofficial until the count is canvassed, were released.

In the race for Hill County Clerk and Recorder, Dixon won with 675 votes and Tina Salazar, who resigned from her position as a deputy clerk and recorder not long after filing as a candidate, received 387. Dixon is unopposed in the general election.

In the Senate race, Chvilicek received 859 votes in Hill County and Tempel received 635. The Secretary of State’s website said that with 18 of 26 precincts in the district fully reported and another 8 partially reported, Tempel was ahead with 2,049 votes and Chvilicek 1,758.

Dave Brewer of Havre is the Democratic candidate in that race. The Secretary of State’s website reported this afternoon he had 982 votes in his unopposed primary race.

In the Republican primary race for PSC District 1, incumbent Randy Pinocci received 1,053 votes in Hill County and challenger K. Webb Galbreath had 503. The Secretary of State's website reported that with 160 of 172 precincts fully reported and another 12 partially reported, Pinocci had 20,545 and Galbreath had 10,444.

In the nonpartisan race for state Supreme Court Justice 2, incumbent Ingrid Gustafson had 1,151 votes in Hill County with James Brown taking 983 and Michael McMahon taking 523. The Secretary of State's website said that with 637 of 663 precincts fully reported and another 12 partially reported, Gustafston had 123,794 votes, Brown had 92,799 and McMahon had 39,653. Gustafson and Brown will advance to the general election as the top-two vote-getters.

In the race for Supreme Court Justice 1, both incumbent Jim Rice and his opponent, Bill D'Alton, will advance to the general election. In the nonpartisan primary, Rice received 184,509 votes and D'Alton received 57,476.

In the race for U.S. House District 2 — it is the first election since the 1990s that Montana has two House districts — incumbent Rep. Matt Rosendale won the Republican primary hands down, both in Hill County and in the district.

Rosendale received 1,258 votes in Hill County and challenger Kyle Austin of Billings, a Hill County native, received 318, while James Boyette received 80 and Charles Walkingbird received 94.

The Secretary of State's Website said that, with 345 of 357 precincts fully reported and another 12 partially reported, Rosendale had 73,130, Austin 11,884, Walkingchild 5,883 and Boyette 5,671.

In the Democratic primary for that race, Penny Ronning received 408 votes and Skylar Williams received 271. Mark Sweeney, who died May 6 after the ballots already had been printed with his name on them, received 271.

Secretary of State’s website said that with 345 of 357 precincts fully reported and the remaining 12 partially reported, Ronning received 21,887, Williams 6,992 and Sweeney received 8,550 posthumously.

In the Libertarian primary for the District 2 House seat, Sam Rankin received 10 votes in Hill County, Roger Roots received 4 and Samuel Thomas received 2

9:25 a.m.

After the primary election ballots from 12 Hill County precincts were counted Tuesday, the count stopped in Hill County due to a problem with the printer for the ballot counter. Hill County Clerk and Recorder's office said a technician is coming to Havre today from out of town to look at the printer, and hopefully the final counts, unofficial until the election is canvassed, will be available later today.

In Hill County results as of about 11 p.m. Tuesday, the results of county votes counted so far had Deputy Hill County Clerk and Recorder Lexis Dixon her lead over former Deputy Hill County Clerk and Recorder Tina Salazar in the Democratic primary for county clerk and recorder, with Dixon taking 555 votes to Salazar's 306.

In the Republican primary for Senate District 14, Steve Chvilicek of Havre was pulling an upset in Hill County, 772 votes to incumbent Sen. Russ Tempel of Chester's 532.

The Secretary of State's website reported this morning that, with 13 of 26 precincts fully reported and 11 precincts partially reported, apparently including the Hill County counts completed, had Tempel with 1,946 votes and Chvilicek with 1,632 votes.

In the Republican primary race for PSC District 1, incumbent Randy Pinocci was taking a strong lead in Hill County, 807 votes to K. Webb Galbreath's 394.

The Secretary of State's website this morning reported that with 142 of 172 precincts fully reported, Pinocci had 18,852 votes to Galbreath's 9,919.

In the nonpartisan race for state Supreme Court Justice 2, incumbent Ingrid Gustafson had 936 votes in Hill County with James Brown taking 749 and Michael McMahon taking 412.

The Secretary of State's website his morning reported with 442 of 663 precincts fully reported and 188 partially reported, Gustafson had 117,779, Brown had 88,861 and McMahon had 37,310.

In the nonpartisan race for Supreme Court Justice 1, where both candidates will advance to the general election, incumbent Jim Rice had 175,929 votes and Bill D'Alton had 54,625.

In the race for U.S. House District 2, incumbent Matt Rosendale dominated in the Republican primary in Hill County. he had 992 votes to Kyle Austin's 247, Charles Walkingchild's 65 and James Boyette's 55.

The Secretary of State's website said this morning that with 250 of 357 precincts fully reported and 89 more partially reported, Rosendale had 68,459 votes, Austin had 11,183, Walkingchild had 5,528 and Boyette had 5,360.

In the Democratic primary for House District 2, Penny Ronning had 345 Hill County votes to Skylar Williams' 212. The deceased Mark Sweeney took 277 votes in the county.

The Secretary of State's website reported this morning that with the precincts reported, Ronning had 20,117 votes and Williams had 6,378. Sweeney posthumously received 7,741.

In the Libertarian primary in the House District 2 race, in Hill County Sam Rankin had taken 9 votes, Roger Roots 1 and Samuel Thomas 2.

The Secretary of State's website reported this morning that Rankin had 868 votes, Thomas had 513 and Roots had 477.

1 a.m.

Hill County Clerk and Recorder's Office reported that a problem has arisen with the printer on the ballot-counting machine and no more results can be released until the machine is repaired. The office is waiting for communication with a technical support unit from out-of-state, but results will not be ready until likely Wednesday.

11:15 p.m.

After 12 precincts were fully counted in the primary election, Deputy Hill County Clerk and Recorder Lexis Dixon was maintaining her lead over former Deputy Hill County Clerk and Recorder Tina Salazar in the Democratic primary for county clerk and recorder, with Dixon taking 555 votes to Salazar's 306.

In the Republican primary for Senate District 14, Steve Chvilicek of Havre was pulling an upset in Hill County 772 votes to incumbent Sen. Russ Tempel of Chester's 532.

The Secretary of State website reported the race for the district, which also includes Liberty County and parts of Chouteau and Cascade counties, was at 770 votes for Tempel and 1,515 for Chvilicek with 12 of the 26 precincts fully reported and 11 more partially reported.

In the Republican primary race for PSC District 1, incumbent Randy Pinocci was taking a strong lead in Hill County, 807 votes to K. Webb Galbreath's 394.

The Secretary of State's website reported Pinocci with 8,194 votes to Galbreath's 4,500 with 54 of 172 precincts fully reported and another 29 partially reported.

In the nonpartisan race for state Supreme Court Justice 2, incumbent Ingrid Gustafson had 936 votes in Hill County with James Brown taking 749 and Michael McMahon taking 412.

The Secretary of State's website reported Gustafson with 86,793, Brown with 58,343 and McMahon with 25.319 with 124 of 663 precincts fully reported and 372 partially reported. The top two vote-getters will advance in that race.

In the race for U.S. House District 2, incumbent Matt Rosendale dominated in the Republican primary in Hill County. he had 992 votes to Kyle Austin's 247, Charles Walkingchild's 65 and James Boyette's 55. With 99 of 357 precincts fully reported and another 148 partially reported, the Secretary of State's website said Rosendale had 47,154 votes to Austin's 8,158, Walkingchild's 3.566 and Boyette's 3,905.

In the Democratic primary for House District 2, Penny Ronning had 345 Hill County votes to Skylar Williams' 212. The deceased Mark Sweeney took 277 votes in the county.

The Secretary of State's website at that time reported Ronning with 15,199, WIlliams with 4,399 and Sweeney with 5,024.

In the Libertarian primary in the House District 2 race, in Hill County Sam Rankin had taken 9 votes, Roger Roots 1 and Samuel Thomas 2. The Secretary of State's website reported Rankin with 692, Roots with 374 and Thomas 423.

10:30 p.m.

With nine Hill County precincts counted, Lexis Dixon has taken the lead in the Democratic primary race for Hill County Clerk and Recorder. Dixon had 462 votes to Tina Salazar's 237.

In the Republican primary for state Senate District 14, challenger Steve Chvilicek of Havre was leading incumbent Sen. Russ Tempel of Chester, 573-362.

In the nonpartisan primary for Supreme Court Justice 2, incumbent Ingrid Gustafson led with 756 votes to James Brown's 565 and Michael McMahon's 300.

In the race for U.S. House District 2, incumbent Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale was far ahead of his challengers with 724 votes. Kyle Austin had 192 while James Boyette had 38 and Charles Walkingchild had 46.

In the Democratic U.S. House primary for District 2, Penny Ronning had 286 votes and Skylar Williams had 173. Mark Sweeney, who died May 6, had 230 votes.

In the Libertarian House District 2 primary, Sam Rankin had 9 votes, Samuel Thomas had 2 and Roger Roots had 1.

9:15 p.m.

The results for the first precinct counted in Hill County in the primary election are in, with what appears to be a low turnout. A total of 118 ballots were cast in the precinct.

In the Democratic primary for Hill County Clerk and Recorder, Lexis Dixon had 28 votes to Tina Salazar's 19.

In the Republican primary for Senate District 14, Steven Chvilicek of Havre had the lead with 39 votes to Sen. Russ Tempel of Chester's 24.

In the Republican primary in the PSC for District 1, incumbent Randy Pinocci had 39 votes to Webb Galbreath's 20.

In the Supreme Court race for Justice 2, incumbent Ingrid Gustafson had the lead with 47 votes to James Brown's 36 and Michael McMahon's 27.

In the race for U.S. House in the eastern district, incumbent Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale had 41 to Kyle Austin's 16 and James Boyette's four and Charles Walkingchild's three.

In the Democratic primary in the House race, Penney Ronning had 21 votes and Skylar Williams had 13. Mark Sweeney, who died May 6 but still was on the ballot, also received 13.

In the Libertarian House primary, Sam Rankin took one vote and neither Roger Roots nor Samuel Thomas received any votes.

8 p.m.

Polls have been declared closed in Hill County in the primary election.

The only contested local elections in Hill County are for Hill County Clerk and Recorder, with Deputy Clerk and Recorder Lexis Dixon facing former Deputy Clerk and Recorder Tina Salazar, who resigned her position not long after filing as a candidate, in the Democratic Primary and Republicans Sen. Russ Tempel of Chester facing Steve Chvilicek of Havre in the primary race for the state Senate in Senate District 14.

In the race for Public Service Commission in District 1, incumbent Randy Pinocci faces Webb Galbreath in the Republican primary.

In statewide races, incumbent Supreme Court Justice Ingrid Gustafson faces James Brown and Michael McMahon in the nonpartisan primary for Supreme Court Justice 2. The top two vote-getters in that race will advance to the general election.

In the nonpartisan primary for Supreme Court Justice 2, incumbent Jim Rice faces Bill D'Alton. Both will advance to the general election.

In the race for the eastern district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, incumbent Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale faces Kyle Austin, James Boyette and Charles Walkingchild in the primary.

In the Democratic primary in that race, Penny Ronning and Skylar Williams are on the ballot. Candidate state Sen. Mark Sweeney died before the primary, but due to how close to the election he died, May 6, his name already was on the ballots.

In the Libertarian primary for the eastern district House seat, Sam Rankin, Roger Roots and Samuel Thomas are facing off.

Watch for updates through the night at this website.