Election right around the corner

The polls will be open for people to cast their ballots next Tuesday in person, although mail-in ballots have been out for several weeks.

Due to printing deadlines, Havre Weekly Chronicle will not be able to publish a story on the results in next week’s print edition, but people can look for updates and results at http://www.havredaillynews.com Tuesday night and Wednesday.

The election has several hotly contested elections, from the top down to local races.

The most visible race is for president, with Republican former president Donald Trump in his third race for the top elected position in the country, facing off against Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump lost his bid for re-election in 2020 to Democrat President Joe Biden.

Biden originally was the presumptive nominee for the Democrats, but pulled out shortly before the Democratic National Convention and endorsed Harris, who took the spot.

Also in the race in Montana are Libertarian Chase Oliver and Green Party candidate Jill Stein, and, although he withdrew from the race, independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. is still listed in the race in Montana.

A race that has major national attention is the contest between Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who in his bid for a third term is facing a political newcomer, Republican candidate Tim Sheehy and Green Party candidate Robert Barb and Libertarian Sid Daoud.

In the race for the Second Congressional District, incumbent Republican Matt Rosendale withdrew from the race early, and Republican State Auditor Troy Downing faces former Montana Democratic House Majority Leader John Driscoll and write-in candidates former Democratic Rep. Reilly Neill and former civil servant John Metzger.

And hot contests are in play in the races for the statewide offices in Montana.

Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte is facing Democrat political newcomer Ryan Busse, a former firearms executive, and Libertarian tech entrepreneur Kaiser Leib in the race for the state’s top office.

Republican Attorney General Austin Knudsen faces Democrat Ben Alke, a Bozeman attorney, in the Knudsen’s run for re-election.

In the race for secretary of state, incumbent Republican Christi Jacobsen faces Libertarian John Lamb and Democrat Jesse James Mullen, a newspaper owner.

In the race for state auditor, with Downing not running for re-election to make his run for Congress, Public Service Commission President James Brown faces retired business executive John Repke.

And with the seat for state superintendent of public instruction open — Elsie Arntzen ran a failed primary for U.S. House of Representatives, losing to Downing, after she termed out — Townsend School District superintendent Susie Hedalen is the Repubiican nominee while state Senatore Shannon O’Brien is the Democratic nominee.

In local races, Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, is making a bid for the Senate seat he once held, facing Republican Perri Jacobs of Malta.

In House District 27, Rep. Paul Tuss, D-Havre, faces Republican former Rep. Ed Hill in a rematch of the 2022 election.

Two political newcomers, Eric Albus of Hinsdale and Blake Borst of Havre are facing off in the race for House District 28.

Sen. Mike Fox. D-Hays, is running for the state House and faces Republican Jason Ulrich pf Malta in the race for House District 32.

And in the race for Hill County Commission, another two political newcomers are facing off. Democrat Bill Lanier and Libertarian Sam Ayres are running for the seat being vacated by Democrat Mark Peterson, who was able to fill out his term but could not run for re-election due to moving out of the district after losing his house to a fire.