Sheriff Bell wins re-election in Lake County
Ballots were mailed Monday for school board elections in Polson, Charlo and St. Ignatius.
Don Bell has won his re-election bid for Lake County sheriff.
According to results from the Lake County primary election held Tuesday, June 7, Bell garnered 4,300 votes compared to challenger Corey White Jr.’s 1,329.
Bell has held the position since 2015. White is a police sergeant in Ronan.
The preliminary count includes all votes except provisional ballots, according to Election Administrator Toni Kramer.
On the 21,000 registered voters in Lake County, 8,255 ballots were cast for a voter turnout of 39%.
The race for Lake County commissioner in District 2 had Stephen Stanley out front with 2,139 votes. Max Krantz had 1,744 and Roy Anderson had 1,390.
Stanley, a St. Ignatius resident, was appointed in July 2021 to replace Commissioner Dave Stipe. He is not being challenged by a Democrat in the general election.
Lake County voters overwhelmingly supported a tax on recreational marijuana sales, with 6,355 ballots in favor and 1,672 against. Voters’ take on a medical marijuana tax was more narrow, with 4,143 in favor and 3,857 against.
In state races, the battle for the GOP nominee in House District 15 had Ralph Foster with a slight edge, earning 383 votes compared to Betsy Johnson’s 367.
The Democrat nominee is Marvin Weatherwax Jr., who took 52% of the vote tally.
Lake County primary results
Election Day Precincts Reporting 23 of 23
Absentee/ Early Precincts Reporting 0 of 23
DEM US REP 1ST DST
CORA NEUMANN 636
MONICA TRANEL 1,516
TOM WINTER 177
Write-In Totals 3
DEM PUB SVC COMMISSIONER DST 5
KEVIN HAMM 906
JOHN REPKE 1,086
Write-In Totals 12
DEM STATE SENATOR DST 8
SUSAN A WEBBER 281
Write-In Totals 4
DEM STATE REP DST 10
MARK H PHILLIPS 143
Write-In Totals 2
DEM STATE REP DST 12
STERLING JAMES LAUDON 848
Write-In Totals 6
DEM STATE REP DST 15
THEDIS B CROWE 38
ADRIEN OWEN WAGNER 68
MARVIN R. WEATHERWAX JR 193
Write-In Totals 0
DEM STATE REP DST 93
SHIRLEY AZZOPARDI 626
Write-In Totals 5
REP US REP 1ST DST
MITCH HEUER 124
MATT JETTE 262
AL "DOC" OLSZEWSKI 2,525
MARY TODD 570
RYAN K ZINKE 2,245
Write-In Totals 20
REP PUB SVC COMMISSIONER DST 5
ANN BUKACEK 1,971
DEAN CRABB 451
JOE DOOLING 1,330
DEREK SKEES 1,054
Write-In Totals 32
REP STATE SENATOR DST 5
MARK NOLAND 303
ROB TRACY 248
Write-In Totals 1
REP STATE SENATOR DST 8
RICK JENNISON 735
Write-In Totals 9
REP STATE REP DST 10
BOB KEENAN 499
Write-In Totals 4
REP STATE REP DST 12
LINDA REKSTEN 1,963
Write-In Totals 52
REP STATE REP DST 15
RALPH FOSTER 368
BETHSAIDA (BETSY) JOHNSON 363
Write-In Totals 4
REP STATE REP DST 93
JOE READ 1,489
Write-In Totals 32
REP COMMISSIONER DST 2
ROY ANDERSON 1,390
MAX KRANTZ 1,744
STEPHEN STANLEY 2,139
Write-In Totals 11
REP CLRK REC/AUDITOR/PB ADMN/SRVYR
KATIE HARDING 4,775
Write-In Totals 28
REP SHERIFF/CORONER
DON BELL 4,300
COREY D. WHITE 1,329
Write-In Totals 10
REP ATTORNEY
VJAMES LAPOTKA 4,469
Write-In Totals 69
REP SUPT OF SCHOOLS
CAROLYN HALL 4,652
Write-In Totals 30
REP TREASURER/ASSESSOR
ROBIN G. VERT-RUBEL 4,710
Write-In Totals 29
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE 1
BILL D'ALTON 1,674
JIM RICE 5,090
Write-In Totals 34
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE 2
JAMES BROWN 2,952
INGRID GUSTAFSON 3,168
MICHAEL F. MCMAHON 1,095
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE
TONY ISBELL 1,580
MICHAEL E. LARSON 2,083
RICK SCHOENING 3,427
Write-In Totals 18
Marijuana Tax Non-Medical
FOR 6,355
AGAINST 1,672
Marijuana Tax Medical
FOR 4,143
AGAINST 3,857