Phil Mitchell elected as county commissioner (plus all local races)

Republican Phil Mitchell swept into office Tuesday when voters overwhelmingly chose him over Democrat Stacey Schnebel as the new county commissioner.

Absentee votes counted first in Flathead County showed that most races were likely to be settled quickly. Only the legislative race between Republican incumbent Jerry O’Neil and Democratic challenger Zac Perry stretched through the night undecided, along with two ballot issues on emergency services.

 Here are the raw totals of votes counted by 11:00 p.m. with almost 100 percent of the vote counted. (Vote turnout in Flathead County was 51 percent. There were 31,602 votes cast out of 61,863 registered voters.)

(i) denotes incumbent 

Flathead County races

Commissioner, District 1

Phil Mitchell, GOP  17,449    67%

Stacey L. Schnebel, Dem   8,523   33%

Sheriff

Chuck Curry, GOP (i) 22,261   98% 

Clerk and Recorder

Debbie Rhodes Pierson, GOP    21,697   99%

County Attorney

Ed Corrigan, GOP (i) 120,867   97%

County Treasurer

Adele Krantz, GOP (i)    21,791   99%

Superintendent of Schools

Jack Eggensperger, GOP   20,907   98%

Justice of Peace Dept. 1

Dan Wilson (i) 

Retain     19,967     88%

Don’t retain     2,850    12%

Justice of Peace Dept. 2

Mark Sullivan (i) 

Retain      19,954     87%

Don’t retain     3,049    13%

Soil Conservation Supervisor (top 3)

Ronald H. Buentemeier     6,533    20%

Verdell Jackson      8,510     26%

Mark Siderius   12,278    37%

Bob Storer    5,259   16%

Whitefish

Gov’t study commission

W. Turner Askew    587    46%

Rebecca A. Norton    650     51%

Legislature

Senate Dist. 1

Terence Gill, Dem  538  24%

Chas Vincent, GOP (i)1,667 76%

Senate Dist. 4

Mark W. Blasdel, GOP 3,698  69%

Diane Taylor, Dem 1,644  31%

Senate Dist. 5

Bob Keenan, GOP 4,226   75%

Daniel S. King, Dem 1,411   25%

House Dist. 1

Jerry Bennett, GOP (i) 1,114   73%

Donald Coats, Dem  413   27%

House Dist. 2

Steven Benson, Dem 444  25%

Mike Cuffe, GOP (i)  1,348   75%

House Dist. 3

Chris Colvin, Lib  133   4%

Jerry O’Neil, GOP (i)  1,479  47%

Zac Perry, Dem   1,522   48%

House Dist. 4

Melanie J. Knadler, Dem   896   26%

Keith Regier, GOP (i)  2,605  74%

House Dist. 5

Doug Adams, GOP   1,742   45%

Ed Lieser, Dem (i)   2,118    55%

House Dist. 6

David Fischlowitz, Dem   1,136   29%

Carl Glimm, GOP (i)    2,739  71%

House Dist. 7

Frank Garner, GOP   1,670   67% 

Catie Henderson, Dem   821   33%

House Dist. 8

Steve Lavin, GOP (i)   2,221   71%

Lynn R. Stanley, Dem   920  29%

House Dist. 9

Randy Brodehl, GOP (i)   1,875   71%

JoLynn Yenne, Dem    764   29%

House Dist. 10

Ruby M. Dynneson, Dem   845   27%

Mark R. Noland, GOP    2,322   73%

House Dist. 11

Kim E. Fleming, Dem   764     22%

Albert D. Olszewski, GOP  2,701    78%

House Dist. 12

Greg Hertz, GOP (i)   1,984     67%

William McLaughlin, Dem   983    33%

House Dist. 13

Weylin Achatz, Dem   1,133   29%

Bob Brown, GOP    2,751    71%

Local Ballot Issues

Flathead County 911 District

For 14,856   50%

Against 14,936    50%

Kalispell EMS Levy

For   2,892   48%

Against    3,085  52%

Kalispell school land purchase

For  6,558  74%

Against   2,280  26%

Marion Fire Levy

For   131  33%

Against   267  67%