Citizens vote for change on local school boards

Voters in Big Horn County School District No. 1 and No. 2 voted in five new school board members, largely choosing change over incumbency.

In Lovell, incumbent school board member Stacy Bair topped the ticket, receiving 1,019 votes, unofficially, but three other candidates defeated the three remaining incumbent board members, two of whom have served for many years.

Voters chose newcomers Lance Anderson, 584 votes, Tyler Angell, 565 votes, and Tess Peterson, 535. Just out of the running was Kyle Leithead with 523 votes, veteran trustee Dan Anderson with 520 votes and incumbent Deb Fink with 454 votes. Ryan Felkins garnered 351 votes, Keith McIntosh 346 and incumbent Rebecca Moncur 300.

In School District No. 1, Wendy Fuller of Cowley narrowly defeated incumbent Holly Michaels of Burlington for an at large seat on the school board. Fuller received 695 votes, unofficially, to 675 for Michaels.

Craig Jones of Otto, recently appointed to the board, defeated Julie Michaels of Burlington, receiving 727 votes to 562 for Michaels for a designated Burlington seat on the board.

With Don Hatch not seeking re-election, two newcomers were vying for the designated Byron seat on the board, and AJ Rasmussen-Dickson defeated Taliesha Beech 763-422. Incumbent Jared Boardman, holding the Deaver-Frannie seat on the board, was unopposed and received 135 votes.