Primary election ahead on Tuesday
Poll open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Tuesday across Flathead County during the primary election.
Absentee ballots must be returned to the voter’s polling place or the Flathead County Election Department at the main courthouse in Kalispell by the time polls close on Tuesday.
For voting information, contact the Election Department at 758-5535 or go to http://flathead.mt.gov/election.
Headlining the ballot on Tuesday are contests for top county offices.
Three candidates — Chuck Curry, Lance Norman and incumbent Sheriff Mike Meehan — are seeking the Republican nomination for sheriff. There are no other candidates, so the primary winner likely would be unopposed in the November general election.
Five candidates — three Republicans and two Democrats — are running for the District 2 county commissioner post.
On the Democratic side, incumbent Commissioner Joe Brenneman is being challenged by Noel Gorton.
Commission candidates on the Republican side are Patrick Nickol, Howard Gipe and Pam Holmquist.
The only other contested countywide race is for Clerk and Recorder, where incumbent Paula Robinson is being challenged by Rebekah Eslick Savelle. There are no Democratic candidates.
Two judicial races will be partly decided on Tuesday.
Four candidates — Heidi Ulbricht, David Ortley, Rich DeJana and Phyllis Quatman — are running for the new District Court judge position.
The top two vote-getters in this nonpartisan contest advance to the general election.
Similarly, the top two finishers in a four-way Justice of the Peace race will qualify for the November ballot.
Justice of the Peace candidates are incumbent Mark Sullivan, Paul Sullivan, Travis Bruyer and Eric Hummel.
In addition, voters will be asked to decide several contested legislative races in the primary:
Republican
n Senate District 4: Dan Pickar, Jon Sonju.
n House District 3: Jerry O’Neil, Harm Toren, Sandy Welch.
n House District 4: Bill Geisse, Damon Pace, Derek Skees.
n House District 7: Randy Brodehl, Steven Thompson.
n House District 8: Carl Glimm, Steve Lavin.
n House District 11: J. Garth Cox, Josh King, Janna Taylor.
Democratic
n House District 8: Dane Clark, Bryan Schutt.
At the state level, Tuesday’s election features contests in both parties for U.S. representative.
Four Democrats — Tyler Gernant, Melinda Gopher, Dennis McDonald and Sam Rankin — are competing for their party’s nomination.
On the Republican side, incumbent Rep. Denny Rehberg is being challenged by Mark French and A.J. Otjen.
There also is a contested Republican race for Public Service Commission between Bill Gallagher and Brad Johnson, although Johnson has suspended his campaign.
On the Web:
For full election coverage, go to the Local Election section on www.dailyinterlake.com.