Lake County votes predominantly Republican
Melea Burke
Four-year-old Olivia Fleming peeks out of a voting booth while dad Thomas fills out his ballot Nov. 6 in Polson.
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Election official Jackie Ladner helps a voter scan his ballot at Polson’s Linderman gym on Election Day.
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
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Though Election Day is over, vote counting continues in the Lake County Election Office.
Election administrator Kathie Newgard started sifting through the 142 provisional ballots voted throughout Lake County on Nov. 7, after working until 5 a.m. the night before counting absentee ballots and ballots from military personnel and other people living abroad.
A provisional ballot is a ballot where the voter’s registration is in question, and the ballot will be counted if the problem is resolved.
A steady stream of people registering to vote had been flowing through Newgard’s office until noon the day before the election and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. People in line at 8 p.m. were ushered into the courthouse, registered and voted, even though it was after 8 p.m. Newgard said 142 people registered and voted on Election Day.
“There was a big line all day,” she said.
Overall, Newgard commented that she thought the election went very smoothly.
“The poll workers and staff in the election office did an amazing job,” she added.
As of press time, all 22 precincts in Lake County are fully reported. Voter turnout across the county was 71.36 percent — not quite as a high as 2008’s 76.9 percent. Precinct workers from the Swan to Arlee said they were busy all day.
Following the rest of Montana, Lake County residents chose Mitt Romney as their presidential candidate over incumbent Barack Obama, who won the national election.
Incumbent Jon Tester won the U.S. Senator race. In Lake County Tester led Dennis Rehberg with 48.96 percent of votes to Rehberg’s 43.08 percent.
Also mirroring the state, in Lake County the gubernatorial race between Steve Bullock and Rick Hill was neck-in-neck. Hill squeaked past Bullock in Lake County by .03 of a percent capturing 47.74 percent of the vote to Bullock’s 47.71 percent.
Superintendent of Public Instruction was another close call with incumbent Denise Juneau leading opponent Sandy Welch by less than a percent, 6,417 votes to 6,321 for Welch. This race was close throughout the state and is reported to be headed for a recount.
The Lake County Commissioner race fell to Gale Decker, the Republican candidate, with 8,028 votes over John Swenson, Libertarian, with 3,610 votes.
Twelve candidates ran for Lake County Justice of the Peace race with Joey Jayne winning with 2,142 votes and Rick Schoening finishing second with 1,993 votes.
In a local race for House District 9, Polson businessman Greg Hertz captured 64.01 percent of the votes while opponent Bud Koppy received 35.48 percent.
Campaigning for State Senator for SD 6, Janna Taylor defeated challenger Nancy Lindsey. Lindsey received 3,874 votes to Taylor’s 4,656.
Taylor said, “I would like to thank everyone who supported my campaign and put up signs; I appreciate all the votes and prayers.”
She’s already working with fellow senators on bill ideas and will be in a meeting and a caucus this coming week.
Unofficial Lake County results
President and Vice-president
Barack Obama/Joe Biden, D 5,715
Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan, R 7,084
Gary Johnson/James P. Gray, Lib. 357
Write-in 103
United States Senator
Denny Rehberg, R 5,684
Jon Tester, D 6,460
Dan Cox, Lib. 1,034
Write-in 17
United State Representative
Steve Daines, R 6,659
Kim Gillan, D 5,795
David Kaiser, Lib. 556
Write-in 16
Governor and Lt. Governor
Steve Bullock/John Walsh, D 6,271
Rick Hill/Jon Sonju, R 6,275
Ron Vandevender/Marc Mulcahy, Lib 582
Write-in 16
Secretary of State
Brad Johnson, R 5,781
Linda McCulloch, D 6,593
Roger Roots, Lib. 521
Write-in 11
Attorney General
Pam Bucy, D 5,966
Tim Fox, R 6,829
Write-in 21
State Auditor
Monica J. Lindeen, D 6,744
Derek Skees, R 5,828
Write-in 25
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Denise Juneau, 6,417
Sandy Welch, R 6,321
Write-in 26
Clerk of the Supreme Court
Mike Fellows, Lib 5,625
Ed Smith, D 6,529
Write-in 56
Supreme Court Justice #5
Laurie McKinnon 6,387
Ed sheehy 4,942
Write-in 70
Retain Supreme Court Justice #6 Morris
Yes 8,089
No 3,116
District Court Judge, Dist. 20, Dept. 2
Deborah “Kim” Christopher 8,252
Thomas A. Kragh 3,663
State Senator District 6
Nancy Lindsey, D 3,874
Janna Taylor, R 4,656
Write-in 53
State Representative District 11
Greg Hertz, R 2,661
Bud Koppy, D 1,475
Write-in 21
State Representative, District 12
Dan Salomon, R 2,525
Luke Wallawander, D 1,685
Write-in 12
State Representative District 15
Forrestina “Frosty” Calf Boss Ribs, D 1,302
Joe Read, R 1,213
Write-in 14
State Representative District 9
Rodrik Brosten, D 695
Scott M. Reichner, D 1,029
Write-in 4
Clerk of District Court
Lyn Platt Fricker, R 9,935
Write-in 395
County Commissioner District 3
Gale Decker, R 8,028
John S. Swenson, Jr., Lib. 3,610
Write-in 172
Justice of the Peace
Alan Booth 493
Ron Boyce 555
Dennis DeVries 739
Joey Jayne 2,142
Edwin R. Jonas III 242
Steven R. Kendley 1,514
Daryl Kerr 524
Kathleen O’Rourke Mullins 1,130
James Raymond 698
Sharon Richardson 1,236
Rick Schoening 1,993
David A. Weinandy 333
Write-in 57
Legislative Referendum No. 120
For 9,322
Against 3,608
Legislative Referendum No. 121
For 10,163
Against 2,746
Legislative Referendum No. 122
For 8,655
Against 4,180
Legislative Referendum No. 124
For 7,078
Against 5,601
Initiative No. 166
For 9,458
Against 3,062
