County Reelects Frederick

By Bill Vander Weele

Jason Frederick and Robert Toavs were the headline winners in Roosevelt County for Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

Frederick was re-elected for sheriff/ coroner with 1,436 votes. Challenger Brent Nygard received 1,073 votes.

In the race for county commissioner, district 3 residents went for Toavs with 383 votes. Ken Hentges received 316 votes.

County officials running unopposed included Cheryl Hansen with 2,295 votes for clerk and recorder, Betty Romo with 2,327 votes for treasurer/assessor and Frank Piocos with 2,022 votes for attorney.

Roosevelt County voted to retain Justice Judge Traci Harada with 2,041 yes votes compared to 387 no votes and Justice Judge Penny E. Hendrickson with 2,095 yes votes compared to 288 no votes.

Democrat Frank J. Smith won re-election in House District 31 with 1,279 votes or 54 percent. Republican Arlie W. Gordon received 1,089 votes or 46 percent. In Roosevelt County, Smith received 1,065 votes compared to Gordon’s 638 votes.

Republican Rhonda Knudsen ran unopposed for re-election in House District 34 and garnered 3,547 votes including 639 in Roosevelt County.

U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., won with 57 percent of the votes. Independent Gary Buchanan finished with 22 percent and Democrat Penny Ronning had 20 percent. In Roosevelt County, Rosendale received 1,353 votes compared to Ronning with 957 and Buchanan with 162.

Legislative Referendum 131, which dealt with born-alive infants regulations, failed by a 53 percent to 47 percent margin. Constitutional Amendment 48, which requires more protection before law enforcement can search private electronic data, passed by an 82-18 margin.

In the election for Montana Supreme Court Justice #2, Ingrid Gustafson won with 54 percent against James Brown’s 46 percent.

For Montana Supreme Court Justice #1, Jim Rice received 78 percent compared to Bill D’alton’s 22 percent.