Multiple write-in nominations possible

A very active primary election for write-in candidates has produced the possibility that numerous candidates can join the ballot for the general election in November if the write-in votes are accepted, according to a Big Horn County Clerk’s Office Canvassing Board report following the post-election meeting Thursday afternoon.

The largest number of write-in votes were cast on the ballot for the Republican nomination for Big Horn County Attorney. Marcia Bean ran unopposed, with no challenger on the GOP ballot, and while there were 444 write-in votes cast and Jennifer Kirk received enough votes to quality for a vote count, she wrote a letter stating that she did not wish for the write-ins to be counted, the canvassing board minutes state.

Other county offices had write-in votes cast but not nearly enough to unseat the filed Republican candidate in each race. There were 46 write-in votes cast but not counted for county commissioner, with filed GOP candidates Mike Laird and Jared Boardman advancing to the general election, and 36 write-in votes for possible Democratic nominees, but they were not counted since none qualified for the ballot.

 There were also no qualifying write-in nominees for county assessor, Republican or Democrat, with Cozette Winters advancing to the General, for county coroner, with Mike Jameson advancing, for county clerk, with Lori Smallwood advancing, for clerk of district court, with Serena Lipp advancing, for sheriff, with Craig Shidler advancing, and for county treasurer, with Nicole Vigil advancing.

Legislature

Ralph Nieder-Westermann of Greybull received 28 votes in the Primary on Democratic ballots for House District 26 in the Wyoming Legislature. Since this is a state office, the state will be responsible to canvass the vote. The canvassing work is scheduled for August 28, and should Nieder-Westermann accept the nomination, he would join Rep. Dalton Banks, the Republican nominee, on the general election ballot in November.

Town races

Among the various municipal races in North Big Horn County, Clint Johnson received 10 write-in votes for mayor in Lovell and will be on the ballot with incumbent Tom Newman in November if he accepts the nomination. Town council candidates Dan Anderson, Bob Mangus, Jeff McCollam and Jason Sumaya will advance to the general election.

In Cowley, there were 57 write-in votes cast for mayor, with one candidate possibly joining Stephen Winter on the general election ballot. KJ Blackburn received 17 write-in votes, current mayor Joel Peterson eight, Charlie Cooley six and G. Pike, Carolyn Barnes, Scott Crosby and Michael Wilson four each.

Cowley could also see a write-in nominee joining Crosby, Dexter Woodis and Rose Ames on the general election ballot for town council. Wilson received four write-in votes, Bryan Baird three.

In Byron, Mayor Alan Clark will be unopposed in November with no qualifying write-in votes cast. Likewise, there were no qualifying write-in votes for town council, so Brandon Hessenthaler, Shae Abraham and Taliesha Beech will each advance to the General.

There were few write-in votes cast for mayor and council in Deaver, but Kelly Spann did receive a qualifying three votes for town council and will be on the ballot for a two-year seat on the council if he accepts. Stephen Gillett was on the primary election ballot for that seat but died prior to the election. Mayor Bill Camp and council members Shauna Crouch and Kayla James will be unopposed in November.

There were no write-in votes cast for mayor in Frannie, so Mayor Garret Frescoln will be unopposed in the General, but there could be up to three write-in nominees for town council. Keara Poole and Guy DeSantis were filed candidates who will advance to the General for two four-year seats on the council, and Shang Clendenen could join them on the ballot if he accepts his seven write-in votes.

There were no filed candidates for a two-year seat on the council, but John Ellis and Pat Anderson could be on the ballot in November if they accept their write-in votes. Ellis received eight write-in votes, Anderson three.

Party positions

There were possible write-in candidates for party precinct committeeman and committeewoman in Lovell elected to the positions, including a Democratic committeeman in David James, who received 23 write-in votes. Each party in the county will consider the write-in votes and determine who will accept the votes and be elected.

There were also 30 write-in votes for precinct Republican committeeman and 67 write-ins for committeeman in Cowley.

There were no filed candidates for committeeman and committeewoman in Byron, and the Republican and Democratic parties will sort out the write-in votes.

The U.S. General Election will take place on November 3.