County, state elections take shape

The race for Whitefish’s House District 5 in the state Legislature picked up a pair of Republican candidates before the March 10 filing deadline.

Whitefish residents Doug Adams and John Michael Myers both filed this month. The two will face off in the June 3 primary.

Democrat Ed Lieser announced his campaign for re-election in December. Lieser was elected to House District 4 in 2012. Due to redistricting, he will seek re-election for HD 5 to serve Whitefish.

Adams, 51, was elected to the Whitefish City Council in 2001 and served a single term.

“I really enjoyed the process [as a councilor] and appreciated the input from citizens,” Adams said. “The involvement is very valuable.”

“When I was on council we did some good things. I believe I could do the same thing at the state level.”

He said the state Legislature has a lot of pressure on it from the federal government and other outside sources, such as lobbyists.

“Mandates from the federal government can be hard for states to accept,” he said. “My goal is to do what’s best for the state and more specifically, House District 5.”

Adams currently owns the landscape design company Landscape Perfections West.

Myers, 30, is an attorney at Myers Law, P.L.L.C. in Whitefish. He served as a trustee for School District 5 in Kalispell when he lived in that district. Myers currently serves on the board of directors for Samaritan House in Kalispell and on the Flathead Community Foundation board.

Myers said he entered the election because he’s ready to take action.

“I was tired of sitting on the sideline and griping,” he said.

“There are a lot of changes I see we need to make. There is a lot we can do to benefit the area.”

Three more candidates filed to run for the Flathead County District 1 county commission seat just before the Monday deadline.

Republican Commissioner Cal Scott filed for re-election late Monday afternoon, along with Democrats John H. “Jack” Garlitz of Whitefish and Stacey L. Schnebel of Coram.

Garlitz worked for the railroad for 42 years, retiring in 2002.

Schnebel, 36, and her husband own and operate two businesses in the Coram area — UnderCurrent Web, a website optimization company, and the Stonefly Lounge, a bar and music venue.

Former Whitefish City Councilor Phil Mitchell announced his campaign for the District 1 seat in January. He filed as a Republican and will face off with Scott in the June 3 primary.

Scott was appointed to the District 1 seat after Jim Dupont died in March 2012. He was elected in November that year to fill out the remaining two years of Dupont’s term.

Flathead County elections

Commissioner, District 1

Jack Garlitz, Dem

Phil Mitchell, GOP

Stacey Schnebel, Dem

Cal Scott, GOP (i)

Sheriff

Chuck Curry, GOP (i)

Clerk and Recorder

Debbie Rhodes Pierson, GOP

Corey Pilsch, GOP

Rebekah Eslick Savelle, GOP

Char Terry Sherman, GOP

County Attorney

Ed Corrigan, GOP (i)

County Treasurer

Adele Krantz, GOP (i)

Superintendent of Schools

Jack Eggensperger, GOP

Justice of Peace Dept. 1

Dan Wilson (i)

Justice of Peace Dept. 2

Mark Sullivan (i)