Ryan Hunter is the next mayor of Kalispell.  

The sitting city councilor defeated fellow Councilor Sid Daoud and entrepreneur Kisa Davison at the Nov. 4 polls. According to the latest count from the Flathead County Election Department, Hunter received 2,930 votes to Davison’s 2,667 and Daoud’s 1,790 votes. 

Hunter told the Inter Lake that he was experiencing a mix of emotions the morning after Election Day.  

“I’m feeling very excited, also exhausted, also anxious about what’s coming and the work that needs to be done,” he said. “And I’m thankful, I’d say thankful as well to all my supporters and volunteers.”   

Door-knocking and talking with voters about city issues is what Hunter believes contributed to his campaign’s success.   

“I think it really has an impact and people appreciate the fact that I am willing to come to their door and talk about city issues and listen to their concerns,” he said.  

The since tabled plan to slim Main Street to two travel lanes was often a topic of conversation with people Hunter met, but he said his straightforwardness helped garner respect.  

“Rather than kind of shimmy around it, I was very upfront with folks and said, ‘Yeah, I support the plan and here’s why,’” he said.  

Hunter also thought that his vision for stoking affordable housing development and creating pedestrian-friendly streets resonated with voters.  

“It was my third campaign in the community, and it’s always been my number one focus,” he said.  

Hunter is currently serving his second four-year term on Council. After he takes the reins as mayor in January, he will appoint a replacement to serve out his term.   

Hunter commended his opponents in the hotly contested mayoral race.  

“I know the personal sacrifice it takes to run for office, particularly in a race like this that was so heated. They did an incredible job, and I have tremendous respect for them,” he said.   

IN HINDSIGHT Daoud said he’d wished he started campaigning earlier, but "I would say that I’m extremely proud and happy with the support that I got this year. I met a lot of people who really resonate with me around the city, and that can only improve.” 

While he was disappointed with the election results, Daoud said he was also relieved. 

“This has been a really long and very time intensive, very emotional campaign for a lot of people, and myself included,” Daoud said. "The race for Kalispell mayor is probably about two and a half times the level of effort that it takes to run for like Montana Senate. It’s a big deal, it’s a lot more homework than people think it is.” 

As election day neared, national partisan politics started to seep into the mayoral race as politicians and political advocacy groups endorsed candidates. Divisive advertisements from outside organizations circulated in the city, which both Daoud and Hunter criticized as having no place in a nonpartisan election.  

Hunter, who has not lived in Oregon for nearly 20 years, dismissed accusations that he would bring “Portland politics” to City Hall.  

“I think those comments are made by people who don’t know me and don’t know my record,” Hunter said. “It’s laziness, and it’s the kind of ugly politics that we see at the national level that I think people rejected in this election.” 

“My critics will say that I have an agenda; I would say that I have a vision,” Hunter said.  

Daoud shooed off anyone calling him a vote-splitter, arguing that he was the first one to file for candidacy.  

“You can’t split a vote if it’s not a political race,” Daoud said. 

“Being out there as just someone who's trying to represent the community only, you know, you lose a lot of votes when a political party gets behind somebody in these kinds of races, just because people are going to vote party lines, they’re trained to do that,” Daoud added.   

Daoud is in the middle of his second Council term. While he said he will no longer be vying for a national or state seat, he is keeping the possibility of running for mayor again on the table.  

“I still have two years on Council with my current term. So I’m just going to concentrate on that and we’ll see where the chips lie,” Daoud said.  

Davison, who earned the backing of the Flathead Valley’s Republican establishment, conceded Wednesday morning. 

“I want to thank every voter who participated in this election and supported our message of transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility,” Davison wrote in a statement. “While the current results show us just short, our work for Kalispell is far from over.” 

Davison declined to talk with the Inter Lake before press time.  

FLATHEAD COUNTY is on track to build a new county detention center after voters approved a $105 million bond on Election Day.  

The bond passed with 57% of the 32,124 cast votes, according to unofficial election results posted Nov. 5, and will be issued over a 20-year period. Property taxes are expected to increase by $11.13 for $100,000 homes; $33.38 for $300,000 homes; and $76.72 for $600,000 homes to account for the bond.  

County Commissioner Pamela Holmquist expressed gratitude toward voters, saying she was excited by the large margin by which the bond passed. These types of bonds don’t typically gain voter support the first time around, she said.  

“We’re finally here, it’s surreal,” Holmquist said, nodding to the years of preparation for the new jail. “This just shows that people understood what we needed.” 

For almost two decades, the county’s current detention center has dealt with overcrowding, unsafe working conditions and limited space for inmates with mental health needs.  

The new jail is designed to hold 200 inmates, double the current capacity, with an additional 42 beds in the special housing unit for inmates with medical or mental health care needs.  

“We have heard the voters,” said Commissioner Randy Brodehl. “And we’re 100% committed to getting the job done.”    

Now that the bond has passed, county officials will get to work structuring and selling the voter-approved bonds, said County Administrator Pete Melnick in an email to the Inter Lake. The county purchased 114 acres on Snowline Lane last year for the new jail, and Kalispell City Council approved annexing the property earlier this week. 

Architectural contracts are already in place, and project bidding will start later this winter, Melnick said. The county will select a representative to oversee construction of the new jail.  

Work is expected to start in the spring, and the jail is estimated to take three years of construction.  

“We’re thankful to Flathead County voters for putting their trust in us. This project has been years in the making, and now we can finally move from planning to building,” Melnick said in the email. “The new facility will be safer, more efficient, and something we can all be proud of.” 

Sheriff Brian Heino and jail Commander Jenny Root did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

THE DAIS in Kalispell City Hall will also see some new faces this January as three new councilors and one incumbent were elected to Council.  

Wes Walker beat long-time incumbent Sandy Carlson for the Ward 1 seat with 1,121 votes to her 736 votes.  

Walker said he believed his emphasis on bringing in a variety of housing types resonated with voters but thanked Carlson, who first took office in 2014, for her service.  

“Anyone willing to serve the city for years upon years deserves our thanks. I just think it’s time for some newer ideas,” he said.  

Lisa Blank ran unopposed in Ward 2 and garnered 1,722 votes.  

“I’m feeling really excited for Kalispell, really anxious to get going and working on behalf of all the folks who got out to vote. So I am also really grateful for the turnout. Ward 2 really showed up,” she told the Inter Lake.  

Former Councilor Kyle Waterman will return to City Hall to represent Ward 3 after defeating Wes Gardner and Kyle Voigtlander. Waterman garnered 847 votes compared to Gardner’s 140 and Voigtlander’s 422 votes.  

“I’m glad to see the community and my neighbors have my back and are supporting me,” he told the Inter Lake.  

Incumbent Jed Fisher defeated Bruce Guthrie with 788 votes to Guthrie’s 543.  

Fisher did not respond to the Inter Lake’s request for comment before press time.  

Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 758-4439 and [email protected]. Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and [email protected].