Libby, Troy have contested races for council seats

EDITOR'S NOTE: Some candidates were mistakenly omitted from a story in the June 23 edition. The Western News regrets the error.

The fields are set for the upcoming 2023 elections in Lincoln County.

The filing deadline was June 19.

Melanie Howell, Lincoln County Elections Administrator, said in an email, "It appears we were a bit short on the number of candidates for the primary election. We will now move on and hold the election in November once I get my confirmation back."

The election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 7, according to Howell.

In Libby, there are six candidates for three, four-year seats.

They include incumbents Brian Zimmerman, Zach McNew and Hugh Taylor, as well as a former councilor, Darrel “DC” Orr and newcomers Brad Nelson and Ian Smith.

McNew was appointed in September 2021 to fill a vacant seat on the council before being elected in November 2021.

Taylor was appointed to the council in March 2018. Zimmerman was first elected in 2015. Orr lost in a 2021 bid for a city council seat. He did win a city council seat in 2009 before losing in 2015.

Nelson has been outspoken at city council meetings following the departure of three city police officers.

One of those former police officers, Ian Smith, is also running for one of the open seats.

In Troy, the town council has two four-year terms up for election and one two-year term. Six candidates have filed to run. They include Jamie Shupe, Robert Henson, Scott Hoffman, Gilbert Gravier II, Dallas Carr and Tyler Boswell.

Carr previously served on council and was also the town’s mayor.

In Eureka, two town council positions are open for four years and one term is open for two years. Jim Monroe, Mike O’Neill, Jason B. Hayes, James Northrupp and Arthur Walters have filed to run.

Also in Eureka, a four-year town judge position is open and Stormy Langston was the lone candidate to file.

The Rexford Town Council has one four-year position open. Neil Wayne Gardner is the only candidate.

There will be a race for the Rexford Town Mayor position which is another four-year term. Bill Marvel and Danny Lemer have filed to run.

To vote in the upcoming elections, voter registration is ongoing with late voter registration beginning Aug. 15.

"If you miss this regular registration deadline, you may still register to vote in the election by coming to the Lincoln County Election Center located at 418 Mineral Avenue, Floor B, up to and including Election Day," the release states.

To vote in Lincoln County, citizens must be 18 years old or older, on or before the next election, a United States citizen registered to vote, and have lived in Lincoln County for at least 30 days.

Those not eligible to vote are currently convicted felons serving a sentence in a penal institution or have been judged in a court of law to be of unsound mind.

More information about elections in Lincoln County can be found at https://lincolncountymt.us/