Peterson advances to general in Commissioner race

Havre Daily News/Caleb Hutchins

Mark Peterson, dark blue, defeated Deborah Walker, light blue, in the Democratic primary for Hill County Commissioner.

The contested commissioner primaries in two north-central Montana counties have selected their candidates to move on to November's general election.

In Hill County, northern Hill County farmer Mark Peterson defeated Hill County Road and Bridge Department office manager Deborah Walker in the Democratic primary, 760-657. He now will advance to face the Republican candidate, Havre businesswoman Debi Rhines, in the general.

In Chouteau County, Robert Pasha strongly won the commissioner primary with five opponents.

Pasha took 539 votes, 38 percent. Coming in second in the count was William K. Courtnage with 262, 18.5 percent, while Terry DeBorde received 227, 16 percent, just ahead of Mary Lou Tweet, who took 226 votes.

Comin in last was Wilson "Bill" Zanto with 162 votes, 11.4 percent of the total.

Pasha now advances to face independent Kenneth Engellant in the general.

Other commission races were unopposed in the area, with Democrat Vic Miller retaining his seat in Blaine County with 174 votes and Republican Larry Hendrickson keeping his seat as Liberty County commissioner with 409 votes.

In Hill County, Peterson took 12 of the 18 precincts, with victory ratios ranging from 18-9 to 60-33.

In the six precincts Walker took, she won with ratios ranging from 20-16 to 90-47.