Write-in candidates to fill out general election ballot

A number of gaps on this year’s municipal ballots will be filled with write-in candidates at this year’s general election. Following the primary, any eligible person who received at least three write-in nominations was given the opportunity to place themselves in the running.

In Sundance, a write-in spot was available for one of the two council seats that will be elected in November. However, says County Clerk Melissa Jones, no individual received three write-ins, so the ballot will not change.

In Sundance, the candidates for the two seats will therefore be limited to those who ran during the primary: incumbents Callie Hilty and Brad Marchant and challenger Rick Benavidez.

In Pine Haven, write-in spots were available for both the unexpired two-year term and the two four-year terms. Only one write-in candidate accepted the nomination: Tara Wineteer.

Says Jones, Wineteer actually received enough write-in votes to be eligible for either the two-year or four-year terms. She was nominated by three voters for the four-year seat and 33 voters for the two-year, and opted to accept the latter.

Wineteer will appear on the ballot for the two-year unexpired term alongside Suzette Edwards. The candidates for the two four-year seats will not change from the primary election: Rob Norton and incumbent Kristy Speed.

In Moorcroft, all four council seats are up for election, including two four-year terms and two unexpired two-year terms. Two write-in candidates will be added to the ballot for the general.

For the four-year seats, Calvin McCrea has accepted the nomination to join incumbents Dustin Petz and Austin Smith and challenger Robert E. Stewart on the ballot.

For the two-year seats, Heidi Humpal has accepted the nomination to appear on the ballot alongside John Aloisio and incumbents Paul S. Smoot and Dale Petersen.

As incumbent mayor Ben Glenn was unchallenged in the primary, it was also possible for a write-in candidate to appear on the general ballot. However, says Jones, while one individual did receive enough write-in votes to be offered the opportunity, they declined the nomination.