Fern earns second term in state Legislature
David Fern in downtown Whitefish, Big Mountain in the background. (Photo credit to David Fern for HD-5 campaign.)
Democrat Dave Fern has won re-election to represent House District 5.
Fern earned 68 percent of the vote Tuesday over challenger Libertarian Cindy Dyson who earned 30 percent of the vote. Fern tallied 3,783 votes to Dyson’s 1,689.
This will be Fern’s second term serving in the Montana Legislature.
Fern, 65, is the owner of a small business, Chimney Solutions and has lived in Whitefish since 1988. He previously served eight terms on the Whitefish School Board,
During the midterm election, Flathead County had 68 percent voter turnout.
In the county commissioner race, Republican Randy Brodehl beat Democrat Tom Clark, 28,515 votes to 16,677.
In the race for Justice of the Peace Department 2, Paul Sullivan beat out William Managhan, 21,083 to 13,248.
In uncontested county races, Republican Debbie Pierson was elected Clerk and Recorder, Republican Brian Heino was elected as Sheriff, Republican Travis Ahner was elected to serve as County Attorney, Republican Jack Eggensperger was elected county Superintendent of Schools, and Republican Adele Krantz was elected county Treasurer.
Statewide voter turnout was 58 percent.
The 6-mill levy to provide funding to the Montana university system passed with 246,056 votes in favor to 155,339 against
Legislative referendum 129, which would limit who could deliver absentee ballots, passed with 249,814 in favor to 144,214 against.
Both ballot initiatives failed.
I-185 which would raise tobacco taxes to partially fund Medicaid expansion failed with 215,378 votes against and 178,578 votes in favor.
I-186, which looked to tighten mining regulations regarding water treatment of mine waste failed with 229,072 votes against and 161,440 votes in favor.
A breakdown of how Flathead County voted with all precincts counted.
(Votes, Percent)
US SENATOR
VOTE FOR 1
RICK BRECKENRIDGE (LIB). . . . . . 1,317 2.81
MATT ROSENDALE (REP). . . . . . . 26,185 55.96
JON TESTER (DEM) . . . . . . . . 19,210 41.06
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 77 .16
US REPRESENTATIVE
VOTE FOR 1
GREG GIANFORTE (REP). . . . . . . 27,848 59.54
ELINOR SWANSON (LIB). . . . . . . 1,229 2.63
KATHLEEN WILLIAMS (DEM). . . . . . 17,646 37.73
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 45 .10
PUB SVC COMMISSIONER DST 5
VOTE FOR 1
BRAD JOHNSON (REP) . . . . . . . 29,393 64.90
ANDY SHIRTLIFF (DEM). . . . . . . 15,838 34.97
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 62 .14
CLERK OF THE SUPREME COURT
VOTE FOR 1
BOWEN GREENWOOD (REP) . . . . . . 27,197 61.04
REX RENK (DEM). . . . . . . . . 14,715 33.03
ROGER ROOTS (LIB). . . . . . . . 2,581 5.79
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 64 .14
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE #4
VOTE FOR 1
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 32,096 81.29
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,385 18.71
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE #2
VOTE FOR 1
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,654 81.02
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,417 18.98
DIST COURT JDG DIST 11, DPT 1
VOTE FOR 1
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 32,466 81.69
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,276 18.31
DIST COURT JDG DIST 11, DPT 2
VOTE FOR 1
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,664 85.16
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,864 14.84
DIST COURT JDG DIST 11, DPT 3
VOTE FOR 1
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 34,054 84.60
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,200 15.40
STATE SENATOR DST 4
VOTE FOR 1
MARK W. BLASDEL (REP) . . . . . . 5,463 64.41
DIANE TAYLOR-MAHNKE (DEM) . . . . . 3,000 35.37
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 18 .21
STATE SENATOR DST 5
VOTE FOR 1
BOB KEENAN (REP) . . . . . . . . 6,958 95.92
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 296 4.08
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DST 3
VOTE FOR 1
SHAWN LESLIE GUYMON (LIB) . . . . . 100 2.18
JERRY O’NEIL (REP) . . . . . . . 2,224 48.44
ZAC PERRY (DEM) . . . . . . . . 2,265 49.34
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 2 .04
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DST 4
VOTE FOR 1
MATT REGIER (REP). . . . . . . . 4,012 75.61
KWEN SHIRLEY (DEM) . . . . . . . 1,290 24.31
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 4 .08
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DST 5
VOTE FOR 1
CINDY DYSON (LIB). . . . . . . . 1,689 30.58
DAVE FERN (DEM) . . . . . . . . 3,783 68.48
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 52 .94
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DST 6
VOTE FOR 1
MARY CUSTER (DEM). . . . . . . . 1,922 33.73
CARL GLIMM (REP) . . . . . . . . 3,770 66.15
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 7 .12
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DST 7
VOTE FOR 1
JAMES H COSSITT (DEM) . . . . . . 1,277 34.34
FRANK GARNER (REP) . . . . . . . 2,427 65.26
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 15 .40
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DST 8
VOTE FOR 1
SID DAOUD (LIB) . . . . . . . . 1,405 31.09
JOHN FULLER (REP). . . . . . . . 3,081 68.18
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 33 .73
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DST 9
VOTE FOR 1
DAVID DUNN (REP) . . . . . . . . 2,572 69.34
BOB PETERSEN (DEM) . . . . . . . 1,120 30.20
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 17 .46
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DST 10
VOTE FOR 1
BILL JONES (LIB) . . . . . . . . 801 18.59
MARK NOLAND (REP). . . . . . . . 3,454 80.18
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 53 1.23
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DST 11
VOTE FOR 1
JOBETH BLAIR (DEM) . . . . . . . 1,463 28.79
DEREK SKEES (REP). . . . . . . . 3,600 70.84
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 19 .37
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DST 13
VOTE FOR 1
BOB BROWN (REP) . . . . . . . . 1,437 81.14
CHRIS GROSS (DEM). . . . . . . . 332 18.75
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 2 .11
COMMISSIONER DST 3
VOTE FOR 1
RANDY BRODEHL (REP) . . . . . . . 28,515 62.97
TOM CLARK (DEM) . . . . . . . . 16,677 36.83
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 89 .20
CLERK & REC/SURVEYOR/AUDITOR
VOTE FOR 1
DEBBIE PIERSON (REP). . . . . . . 36,730 97.74
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 851 2.26
SHERIFF/CORONER
VOTE FOR 1
BRIAN HEINO (REP). . . . . . . . 37,562 97.29
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 1,048 2.71
ATTORNEY
VOTE FOR 1
TRAVIS AHNER (REP) . . . . . . . 35,972 97.38
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 967 2.62
SUPT OF SCHOOLS
VOTE FOR 1
JACK EGGENSPERGER (REP). . . . . . 35,782 97.71
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 839 2.29
TREASURER/PUB ADMIN/ASSESSOR
VOTE FOR 1
ADELE KRANTZ (REP) . . . . . . . 36,726 98.02
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 742 1.98
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE DEPARTMENT 1
VOTE FOR 1
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,248 89.25
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,003 10.75
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE DPT 2
VOTE FOR 1
WILLIAM L. MANAGHAN . . . . . . . 13,248 38.30
PAUL SULLIVAN . . . . . . . . . 21,083 60.95
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 260 .75
LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM NO. 128
VOTE FOR 1
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,252 58.50
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,625 41.50
LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM NO. 129
VOTE FOR 1
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,028 68.30
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,936 31.70
INITIATIVE NO. 185
VOTE FOR 1
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 21,537 46.28
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,003 53.72
INITIATIVE NO. 186
VOTE FOR 1
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,823 45.13
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,315 54.87
MARION FIRE DIST LEVY
VOTE FOR 1
FOR . . . . . . . . . . . . 368 56.79
AGAINST . . . . . . . . . . . 280 43.21