Statewide Election Results

The 2018 General Election was held last week, with good statewide voter turnout, at 71.5%, or 508,955 of 711,844 registered voters heading to the polls. In Powder River County, 984 of 1,297 registered voters cast their ballots, to beat the statewide average with 75.86% voter turnout. Several counties in the state had over 80% turnout. The lowest turnout came from Roosevelt County (Wolf Point) with 58.15% of voters hitting the polls.

Statewide in the US Senate Race, Jon Tester won 50% of the vote, with 253,718 votes. Matt Rosendale won 47%, with 235,820, while Libertarian Rick Breckenridge took 3% of the vote, with 14,530.

In the US House race, Greg Gianforte edged out Kathleen Williams 51 to 46%, with 256,505 and 233,135 votes respectively, while Libertarian Elinor Swanson had 3% of the vote, with 14,472.

In the State Supreme Court Clerk Race, Bowen Greenwood won with 51%, or 246,973 votes. Rex Rink won 204,289 votes for 43%, and Roger Roots won 6%, with 28,731 votes.

Supreme Court Justices Beth Baker and Ingrid Gustafson were both retained in office for another term, with 84% (369,524), and 83% (365,348) votes in their favor, respectively.

District Court Judges in our area both won their races to stay in office. Judge Michael Hayworth was retained, with 85%, or 9,385 of 11,008 votes, while Judge Nickolas C. Murnion garnered 9,646 “Yes” votes out of 11,284 votes cast.

In State Senate District 19, which covers a good portion of Powder River County, Kenneth Bogner defeated Mary Zeiss Stange 81% to 19%, with 7,334 votes for Bogner, and 1,736 for Stange.

In the State House, Eric Moore ran unopposed in District 37 (essentially the east half of the county, plus a bunch more country running through Carter County, and clear up to Fort Peck), winning with 4,745 votes. Moore had served as State Senator in District 19, but was term limited out, and now begins his four year term in the House.

In District 41, which covers the western half of Powder River County as well as the Northern Cheyenne and a good portion of the Crow Reservations, Rae Peppers won a fourth term with 2,001 votes in an unopposed race.

Both Legislative Referendums passed at the state level. The 6 Mill levy to fund the Montana University system passed 63% to 37%, with 307,485 voters indicating they would like to continue funding, and 181,065 voting against the referendum.

LR 129, a referendum to prohibit ballot collection by certain individuals, did not get nearly as much press as the 6 mill levy or the two ballot initiatives, but passed nonetheless, 63 to 37%.

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300,938 voted for the referendum, and 178,315 voting against.

I-185, a ballot initiative to pay for a percentage of continued Medicaid Expansion with an increase in tobacco tax, failed 47 to 53%, with 236,706 voting for the initiative, and 263,968 against. Spending on the ballot measure has made it the most expensive in Montana history, with around 8 million spent for the bill, much coming from the Montana Hospital Association, while tobacco companies spent around 17 million dollars to help defeat the bill. Medicaid expansion is set to expire next year, where state legislators are set to tackle the issue.

1-186, a bill to change the standards regarding permitting of hard rock mining in Montana, was defeated by a 44 to 56% margin, with 220,109 voting for the initiative, and 275,998 voting against.

In local elections, all races were unopposed, and everyone running won their election. In the New Year, Lee Randall will be the new county commissioner, Cynde Jo Gatlin will be the Clerk and Recorder. Allen Drane, Jr. will continue as Sheriff, and absorb Coroner duties as well. Jeff Noble will continue as County Attorny, with Molly Lloyd continuing her work as Superintendent of Schools. Phoebe Amsden will work as Public Administrator, with Pat Phillippi working as County Treasurer and Assessor. Cathy Landa will stay on in her position as Justice of the Peace.

The county will count another provisional ballot this week, so we’ll hold off on local totals until the complete results are certified, which are expected to be completed on Friday.