Mitchell unseats incumbent commissioner; Schnebel wins Democratic nod

Phil Mitchell of Whitefish coasted to an easy victory Tuesday over incumbent Flathead County District 1 Commissioner Cal Scott to win the Republican nomination for the fall election.

Mitchell will face Democrat Stacey Schnebel of Coram, who defeated John “Jack” Garlitz of Whitefish in Tuesday’s primary election.

In another closely watched county race, Debbie Pierson emerged as the winner of a three-way Republican battle for Flathead County Clerk and Recorder. She defeated two former Clerk and Recorder Office employees, Char Sherman and Rebekkah Savelle.

Both the Democratic and Republican commissioner races were one-sided.

Mitchell unseated Scott by more than a 2-to-1 margin, earning 70.56 percent of the vote to Scott’s 29.02 percent.

On the Democratic side, Schnebel received 69.75 percent of the votes.

Mitchell, 61, has a long history of public service in Whitefish. He served on the Whitefish City Council from 2010 through 2013 and before that served on the Whitefish School Board from 2002 through 2007.

A Flathead Valley resident for 35 years, Mitchell spent many years constructing well-known golf courses around the world, including the Iron Horse course on Big Mountain.

He and his wife, Belinda, have operated several small businesses in the Flathead Valley, including a retail chocolate store and a furniture refinishing and antique business. Mitchell currently owns and manages real estate in the Whitefish area.

Mitchell campaigned as a fiscal conservative who supports property rights and business growth.

Scott, 70, was appointed a commissioner following the death of Commissioner Jim Dupont in March 2012 and was elected later that year to fill out the remainder of Dupont’s term.

Scott said during the campaign that his 2009 bankruptcy filing and his false claim to have a degree in civil engineering — issues that surfaced right before the 2012 general election — have continued to dog him to some degree, but he said he has worked to rise above people’s judgment calls.

Schnebel, 36, is one of the youngest commissioner candidates in recent years. She’s a married mother of two, co-owner of UnderCurrent Web and Stonefly Lounge and an active civic leader in the Canyon and Columbia Falls area.

Schnebel touted her leadership ability during her campaign and said she’s unencumbered by political history or special interests and will bring a fresh perspective to county management.

Garlitz, 73, a retired railroader from Whitefish, ran a low-key campaign in his first bid for public office, citing transparency and accountability as crucial tenets for being a commissioner.

Pierson, 48, the grant administrator for Flathead County, proceeds to the Nov. 4 general election unopposed.

She pulled down 53 percent of the vote while Sherman received 27 percent and Savelle 11 percent. Corey Pilsch, who withdrew but remained on the ballot, received 9 percent.

Vote counting in Flathead County went smoothly Tuesday, with final numbers compiled before 11 p.m.

There were 200 voters who filled out both Republican and Democratic ballots. Those ballots were tossed out.

Voter turnout was 24 percent for Tuesday’s primary election.

Out of the total 60,540 registered voters in Flathead County, 15,735 cast ballots in the primary. 

There were 3,005 Democratic ballots and 12,370 Republican ballots. Absentee ballots accounted for almost half the ballots cast. 

FLATHEAD COUNTY

(with 42 of 42 precincts reporting)

County Commissioner Dist. 1 GOP

Phil Mitchell    8,342... 71%

Cal Scott (i)    3,431... 29%

County Commissioner Dist. 1 Dem

Stacey Schnebel  1,833...  70%

Jack Garlitz   787... 30%

County Clerk & Recorder GOP

Corey Pilsch   1,009 ... 9%

Rebekah Eslick Savelle  1,272 ...  11%

Char Terry Sherman   2,933 ... 26%

Debbie Rhodes Pierson  5,965 ...  53%

County Sheriff GOP

Chuck Curry (i)    10,795 ... 98%

County Attorney GOP

Ed Corrigan (i)    10,128 ... 98%

County School Supt. GOP

Jack Eggensperger    9,486 ... 99%

County Treasurer GOP

Adele Krantz (i)    10,320 ... 99%

Justice of Peace Dept. 1

Dan Wilson    12,059 ... 99%

Justice of Peace Dept. 2

Mark Sullivan    11,923 ... 99%

• LEGISLATURE

Senate Dist. 4 GOP

Mark Blasdel   1,572 ... 66%

Tammi Fisher   790 ... 33%

House Dist. 5 GOP

Doug Adams   698 ... 67%

John Michael Myers  342 ... 33%

House Dist. 7 GOP

Frank Garner   732 ... 75%

Ronalee Skees  248 ... 25%

House Dist. 7 Dem

Catie Henderson  147 ... 56%

Alex Schaeffer     115 ... 44%

House Dist. 11 GOP

Mike Hebert 765 ... 48%

Albert D. Olszewski  836 ...  52%

House Dist. 13 Dem (not including Sanders County)

Weylin Achatz   74 ... 71%

Gerald Cuvillier  29 ... 28%

House Dist. 13 GOP (not including Sanders County)

Bob Brown  373 ... 66%

Katy Walton  188 ... 33%

• LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVIEW

Flathead County

For 6,102 ... 46%

Against 7,164 ... 54%

Kalispell

For 1,237 ... 45%

Against 1,526 ... 55%

Whitefish

For 513 ... 58%

Against 378 ... 42%

Columbia Falls

For 305 ... 53%

Against 270 ... 47%