An unexpected open seat on the Flathead County Commission drew considerable attention from candidates, with nine people filing for the District 1 seat left vacant after former Commissioner Jim Dupont’s death.
Dupont passed away on March 19 after suffering an apparent heart attack. He was elected to the District 1 seat in 2008, and took office in January 2009. The District 1 seat represents the northern section of Flathead County.
The commissioners serve six-year terms, and each term is staggered, so typically only one seat is up for election each cycle. This year’s scheduled seat is District 3, currently held by Dale Lauman, who is not running for reelection.
According to Deputy County Attorney Tara Fugina, commissioners Lauman and Pam Holmquist will choose an interim commissioner to represent District 1 until a candidate is elected.
The candidates will face a primary election in June and general election in November. Once the candidate is elected in November, he or she will serve the two years remaining on Dupont’s term.
Filing opened late on March 19, Fugina said, and closed at 5 p.m. on March 22.
Of the nine candidates to file, eight are Republicans. They include Doug Adams of Whitefish; Rod Bernhardson of Whitefish; Kirk Gentry of Columbia Falls; Chris Hyatt of Whitefish; M Glenn Kolodejchuk of Kalispell; Cal Scott of Kalispell; Michael F. Shepard of Columbia Falls; and Ben F. Stormes of Whitefish.
The sole Democrat to file for the seat is Gil Jordan of Coram.