Second Rocky Boy election changes outcome of first

Several weeks after results of the first Rocky Boy school board election were thrown out, two board members were elected in a special election Tuesday.

Debbie St. Pierre and Ted Whitford received the most votes - 74 and 67, respectively - of the field of six candidates, according to official election results. Those results were different than those of the first election, which was won by incumbent Whitford and Duane Gopher.

Whitford and St. Pierre began their three-year terms this morning after the school board certified the election results, Rocky Boy Schools district clerk Greg Holmlund said.

Holmlund said he was not aware of any problems or complaints with the election.

A total of 339 votes were cast. Thelma Stanley came in third with 63, Gopher had 62, Patrick Chief Stick Jr., had 51, and Kenneth Standing Rock Sr. had 22.

St. Pierre, the leader in Tuesday's election, had placed fifth in the May 6 vote.

The May 6 school board election results were scrapped by the Rocky Boy school board on May 9 after it learned that as many as 20 school district voters who live in Chouteau County had been turned away from the polls. The Rocky Boy school district includes part of both Hill and Chouteau counties.

Whitford and St. Pierre could not be reached for comment.