Filing continues for special district seats

Deadline is Monday

As voters focus on the Wyoming Primary Election held Tuesday and candidates nervously view the results, filing for special districts to be decided in the Wyoming General Election continue through next Monday.

Here are the filings as of Tuesday morning, Aug. 18, as provided by the Big Horn County Clerk’s office.

Four incumbents have filed for their seats on the Big Horn County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees: at large candidates Hiedi Christensen of Cowley and Holly Michaels of Burlington, who was recently appointed to the seat after the death of chairman Josh Bassett; Thomas Bridges for the designated Cowley seat and Craig Jones for the designated Burlington seat.

As of Monday, incumbent Marianne Grant has filed for a regular four-year seat on the Lovell School Board, joined by Kyle Leithead, who was appointed to the seat left vacant by the resignation of Tess Peterson (elected in 2024) when she had taken a job in the school district. The Peterson seat carries through 2028, so that seat – currently left open with Leithead filing for a four-year seat – carries a two-year term in this election.

Incumbents Bruce Jolley and Danny Jolley had not filed for re-election as of Tuesday morning.

Two incumbents have filed for the North Big Horn Hospital District Board: Bruce Morrison of Lovell for an at-large seat and Garret Frescoln of Frannie for the designated Deaver-Frannie seat on the board.

Incumbents Todd Simmons (at large) and Brett Crosby (Byron-Cowley seat) had not filed as of Tuesday morning.

Other filings in the north end of Big Horn County are:

Byron Cemetery District: Edward Gifford, Steven Wagner and Denney NeVille.

Cowley Cemetery District: Don Minchow, Gary Leonhardt and Ken Blackburn (four-year term) and Coleen Scheeler (two-year term).

Deaver-Frannie Cemetery District: Patricia Cline, Melvyn Wambeke and Brenda Kawano.

Lovell Cemetery District: Todd Herman, Michael K. Jameson and Ralph Winland.

Shoshone Conservation District: Keith Grant (rural seat) and David Hessenthaler (urban seat).

Fire Protection District No. 1: Michael Leonhardt.

Fire Protection District No. 5: Stephanie Wambeke and Kendal Wambeke.

North Big Horn Senior Citizen District: Four-year term -- Patricia Parmer and Pauline Tippetts; Two-year term – Linda Jo Miller.

Prospective candidates have until the end of the business day on Monday, Aug. 24, to throw their hat in the ring.

School board candidates file with the Big Horn County Clerk’s office, and all others file with their respective district secretary.

The special district seats are non-partisan and will be elected at the Wyoming General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.