Write-in candidates revealed

Two seats that opened up during this year’s election were decided via write-in ballot because no candidates stepped forward to place their names on the ballot. The winners were announced on Thursday after the canvas board had met.

Audrey Ebsen received the most write-in votes for the open seat on the Crook County Senior Services board of trustees. Kit Swaney received the most write-in votes for the open rural seat on the Crook County Natural Resource District.

Write-in candidates for special districts are presented with a certificate of election within 48 hours of the county canvas. They have 10 days to take the oath of office and thereby accept the appointment.

Should the elected person not do so, the board for the special district selects a candidate to fill the unexpired term and informs the County Clerk’s Office of its decision.

The county’s canvas board did not find any errors within the unofficial election results that were released at the end of Election Day. The results of the 2020 general election in Crook County therefore stand in their entirety.

In future elections, County Clerk Linda Fritz respectfully requests that voters mark down a real name as their write-in choice, rather than a fake name or leaving a blank space. Counting hundreds of unusable write-ins takes the canvas board time, she says, which in turn costs the taxpayer extra money.