Flathead County Election Filings Set Stage for Contested Races in 2026

With the filing deadline for elected positions in Flathead County coming to a close last week, the stage is set for several contested races in both the 2026 primary and general elections.

In the crowded race for county commissioner, three challengers are seeking to overcome Republican incumbent Brad Abell for his district one seat, including Democrats Nathan Dugan and Colton Little, who will square off in the June primary race, and independent candidate Casey Malmquist.

Abell was first elected in 2020 and began his first term in 2021. Last month, he announced his campaign for a second term, which centers around fiscal responsibility and support for law enforcement.

In addition to his support for public safety, he points to immigration enforcement as an important element of his candidacy for re-election and stated he supports enforcing immigration laws that will “prevent Flathead County from becoming a sanctuary county.”

Democratic candidate and housing advocate Nathan Dugan is running to unseat Abell. Dugan also ran unsuccessfully for Whitefish City Council last year.

Dugan helped co-found Shelter WF in 2022, a nonprofit aimed at improving housing affordability in Whitefish. He now serves as the executive director of Livable Flathead, which was formed last year.

Working as a home health physical therapist, he also serves as the chair of the Whitefish Climate Action Plan Committee and in 2024 was elected as the vice chair of the Local Government Study Commission in Whitefish.

Colton Little has entered the race as a second Democratic candidate. In 2024 he ran as an independent candidate at age 18 in House District 5 against Republican incumbent Rep. Braxton Mitchell and Democrat Steve Paugh, but he did not receive enough signatures to appear on the general election ballot.

In 2024, he told the Beacon he believes in protecting access to public lands, addressing Montana’s persistent housing crisis, increasing funding for education and reducing property taxes.

Little last month pleaded guilty to public nuisance and obstructing a peace officer charges in Whitefish Municipal Court after he and two co-defendants blocked a Border Patrol vehicle last September.

Construction company president Casey Malmquist entered the commissioner’s race as an independent candidate.

As the former owner of Malmquist Construction, a custom homebuilder in Whitefish, he also founded SmartLam Technologies Group, a manufacturer of cross-laminated timber in Columbia Falls.

In the Republican primary for Flathead County Sheriff, Evie Cahalen, a retired law enforcement officer from Marion, is running to unseat incumbent Brian Heino, who is seeking his third term.

Heino has served 23 years with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and currently serves as the coroner and the Director of the Office of Emergency Services. Additionally, Heino worked as the Search and Rescue Coordinator and served in multiple other units prior to becoming sheriff in 2019.

Before deciding to challenge Heino, Cahalen retired from a 35-year career in law enforcement and has lived in Montana since 2014, according to the Flathead County Republican Women, where she serves as the board president.

Somers resident Angela Ream is seeking to unseat Justice of the Peace Tim Wenz, a former criminal defense attorney seeking his first full four-year term in the nonpartisan race.

Flathead County commissioners last year appointed Wenz to replace former Justice of the Peace Paul Sullivan, who in 2024 was elected as a district court judge.

Republican Sheena Sterling, who currently serves as the Flathead County Clerk and Recorder manager, is facing off against Republican Cheryl Hohman to replace longtime Clerk and Recorder Debbie Pierson.

Hohman has spent 30 years working for Flathead County and currently manages the regional GIS database as a Cadastral Specialist.   

In Flathead County’s uncontested races, Republican Tricia Haverkorn has filed to replace Flathead County Treasurer Adele Krantz, who is not seeking reelection; Republican Marcia Stolfus has filed for re-election as Superintendent of Schools; and Flathead County Attorney Travis Ahner is seeking a third term.

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