Three candidates were eliminated and at least four were likely added to the General Election ballot in north Big Horn County town council races during Tuesday’s Primary Election.
In the hotly-contested race for two seats on the Byron Town Council, four candidates will advance on to the General Election, with three candidates not making the cut, according to unofficial results from the Big Horn County Clerk’s office Tuesday night.
Marie McCollam topped the ticket with 70 votes, unofficially, Tuesday, followed closely by incumbent Gilbert Cordova with 62 votes. Also advancing to the General will be incumbent David Hessenthaler with 49 votes and Alan Bair with 46.
Not advancing were Gary Gruell with 21 votes, Perry Johnson with 16 votes, Patricea Dean with 13 votes. There were no write-in votes cast for town council, according to the unofficial results.
Waldo and Mary Jensen were unopposed for their Republican precinct committeeman and committeewoman positions, respectively.
In Cowley, former town manager Dexter Woodis Jr. topped a four-person field with 100 votes, unofficially. Incumbent Tim Jones was second with 75 votes, followed by incumbent Peggy Rasmussen with 60 votes and Diane Badget with 51. All four will advance to the General Election. There were also two write-in votes cast.
In Frannie, where there were only two filed candidates for three seats on the council, there may be a full slate of candidates in November. Councilwoman Marty Roedel received 17 votes in Big Horn County and four in Park County, unofficially, for a total of 21. She was the only candidate for two four-year council seats. There were 44 write-in votes cast for the four-year seats, unofficially, 40 in Big Horn County and four in Park County, so there could well be a full slate in November.
Brenda Kawano received 19 votes unofficially, 15 in Big Horn County and four in Park County, for the seat on the council she currently occupies, which carries a two-year term this go-round, but there were also 21 write-in votes cast, leading to a likely second candidate for the General Election.
There were three incumbent candidates for three seats on the Deaver Town Council in Tuesday’s Primary, with all three advancing to the General Election. With no write-in votes, unofficially, the slate will remain the same in November. Fred Yates received 35 votes and Donald Wenstrom Jr. 30 votes for their two four-year seats on the council. Paul North received 23 votes for the seat to which he was appointed, which carries a two-year term this time.
In Lovell, councilmen Scott Allred and Brian Dickson were unopposed, and Allred received 399 votes and Dickson 354 unofficially, with no write-in votes recorded, according to the county clerk tally sheet.
There were three Republican precinct committeemen elected Tuesday in Lovell from a field of seven. Elected were Ed Allred with 473 votes, Glynn Collins with 335 votes and Don Richards with 257. Out of the running were Chris Sawaya with 188 votes, Ken Grant with 176, Scott Brown with 86 and Bernie Du Monthier with 80.
Judy Richards (498 votes), Joyce Collins (465) and Kathleen Orton (436) were unopposed for three precinct committeewoman positions in Lovell.