It's Anderson, Peterson in Hill County

Mike Anderson on Tuesday defeated two opponents to earn the Democratic nomination for a seat on the Hill County Commission, and incumbent Hill County Attorney Cyndee Peterson defeated longtime Havre lawyer Dan Boucher in her pursuit of two more years in the job.

In other unofficial results, residents voted against conducting a review of local government in Havre and Hill County, and decided a temporary 3-mill levy to support the Havre-Hill County Library should become permanent.

Anderson, a Havre firefighter, won with 1,111 votes, or almost 45 percent. Rancher and implement salesman Mike LaVoi received 824 votes, and farmer Tim Herron received 437.

Anderson will face Republican Jody Manuel and independent Wyatt Dahlin in the November general election.

Peterson won with 1,351 votes, compared with 1,035 for Boucher. She will face Republican Randy Randolph in November.

Anderson said he expects to continue his campaign in the same fashion against his opponents in the general election, Republican Jody Manuel and independent Wyatt Dahlin.

"I think what we're going to do is all the same things. We're just going to work harder," he said.

Peterson, who was appointed to the position in August after Hill County Attorney David Rice was appointed state district judge, said she thinks voters wanted continuity in the office. Peterson was a Hill County deputy attorney from 2001 until she was appointed county attorney, and credits Rice with training her how to run the office.

"I think the vote came down to believing the office is going to continue to operate in the way Judge Rice ran it," she said.She is running to fill the remaining two years of Rice's term as county attorney.

She said she will continue to campaign in the same way she did in the primary.

"I plan on doing exactly the same thing - just hard work and talking to people about why I'm the best candidate and showing people I can use my organization and efficiency to maintain this office," Peterson said.

Rice, running unopposed for retention as district judge in the three-county 12th Judicial District, received 2,893 votes in Hill County. He received 1,445 votes in Chouteau County and 520 votes in Liberty County.

Running unopposed for Hill County Clerk of Court, incumbent Democrat Dena Tippets received 2,159. No Republican is running for the office.

The voters overwhelmingly supported making the 3-mill Havre-Hill County Library levy permanent, 2,199 to 979.

The proposals for review of local government were defeated in most areas.

The proposal to review Hill County government failed, 1,467 to 1,601. The proposal to fund the county review also failed, 1,069 to 2,007. The proposal to review Havre city government failed, 854-956, as did funding the city review, 680 to 1,144.

In Blaine County, the county review failed, 685-688, as did its funding, 531-831. Review of the Chinook city government passed, 243-229, but its funding failed, 225-244. The Harlem city government review and its funding both failed, 80-108 and 70-118, respectively.

The review of Chouteau County government failed, 767-910, as did the review of the city government of Big Sandy, 136-177.

In Liberty County, county government review failed, 231-359, as did funding for the review, 160-416. Review of the Chester city government tied, 144-144, according to unofficial results.

In Blaine County, incumbent Democratic County Commissioner Don K. Swenson defeated challenger Curtis Moxley, 391-195. There is no Republican challenger.

Democratic incumbent Kay O'Brien Johnson, running unopposed for clerk of district court in Blaine County, received 884 votes.

In Liberty County, Republican Russ Tempel, running unopposed for re-election to the Liberty County Commission, received 340 votes. He faces no opposition in the general election.

Incumbent Democrat Anne Seidlitz-Melton, who also ran unopposed and faces no opposition in the general election for Liberty County clerk of district court, received 168 votes.

Incumbent Republican Chouteau County Commissioner Kenneth R. Evans, unopposed in both the primary and general election, received 1,378 votes.

Incumbent Chouteau County Superintendent of Schools and Clerk of Court Larry R. Stollfuss defeated challenger Sydney Lopp, 810-761. He will face Democrat Laura L. Wood, who received 310 votes in an unopposed primary race, in the general election.