Jefferson County voters trimmed the field of candidates during the June 5 primary, choosing who will advance to the November ballot.
They also gave strong approval to a search and rescue mill levy. The one mill levy, estimated to add $2.65 to the annual taxes of a home with a $200,000 phase-in value, passed by a more than two to one margin, 2413 to 1020.
A total of 3836 votes were cast, representing just over 45 percent of registered voters. Of the 4057 absentee ballots sent out to voters, 2434 were returned and counted in the results.
In the House District 75 race to decide who
would represent the Democratic Party in November, Bryher Herak prevailed 804 to 483 over Joe Calnan. Republican voters gave the nod to Greg DeVries over Gregg Trude 902 to 726. Herak and DeVries will face off at the general election.
The non-partisan race for Jefferson County Justice of the Peace saw Steve Andersen as the top vote recipient with 1277. Dean Hildebrand was the second favorite with 925 votes. Those two will advance to the general election, vying to replace Dennis Giulio, who has held the office for about 32 years.
Larry Skogen, with 789 votes, and Kevin Brunet with 293 were eliminated from the race. Andersen won each of the county’s ten precincts except Jefferson City, which went for Hildebrand, and the two Whitehall precincts, which favored Skogen.
In statewide races for Congress, Jefferson County voters agreed with voters across the state that Matt Rosendale should represent the GOP in November in the attempt to unseat Democratic incumbent Jon Tester. Statewide, Rosendale took 34 percent of the votes, compared to 46 percent in Jefferson County.
Rosendale trailed Russell Fagg in Basin and the eastern Clancy precinct and the pair tied in one Boulder precinct.
On the Democratic ballot, Jefferson County voters differed from the statewide outcome in their preference for the standard bearer to face Republican incumbent Rep. Greg Gianforte in November. Grant Kier edged out statewide winner Kathleen Williams, 495 to 471, or 34 percent to 32 percent. Across the state, Williams took 34 percent and John Heenan came in second with 32 percent, trailed by Kier in third with 24 percent.
Complete election results can be found online at sos.mt.gov.
