3 to represent Hill County Democrats at state convention

The Hill County Democratic Party held its convention Thursday night at the Eagle’s Club, where party members selected delegates for the Montana State Democratic Convention that will be held in Helena Saturday.

County delegates to the state convention will then elect 28 delegates to represent the Treasure State at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July.

Eleven attendees at the county convention voted unanimously to send Jacob Bachmeier, the party’s candidate in House District 28, along with Rita Campbell and Charlie Gallus as delegates to the state convention.

Bachmeier and Campbell, both of Havre, will be delegates on behalf of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Gallus will be represent former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

No alternates were elected.

Hill County gets three delegates to the state convention, and in keeping with party rules, these delegates pledge to vote for a state delegate who will vote at the national convention for the candidate they are pledged to support. Presidential candidates must have received 15 percent or more in Tuesday’s primary to be eligible.

Sanders and Clinton each received 45 percent of the vote in Hill County. Sanders narrowly edged out Clinton by eight votes. 873 to 867.

An additional 7 percent or 140 voted for no preference.

Hill County Democratic Chair Benda Skornogoski said county delegates are allocated based on the primary results within the county.