Tuesday’s primary election set the stage for November as Bonner County residents chose the direction of the county and fire districts at the polls.  

The race for Bonner County Commissioner District 2 saw the most participation, with 12,844 total votes. Jeff Roberts swept the race with 63.38% of the votes, or 8,141 votes. Incumbent Asia Williams, who began her role as county commissioner in January 2023, ended the election with 4,703 votes, or 36.62%. 

Running unopposed in the primary election, Steve Smith won the county commissioner District 1 seat with 9,517 votes. He will face independent Fred Arn in the November election. 

In the open race for county clerk, candidate Roger Rudd received a super-majority of the votes, earning 68.35% of the votes, or 7,908 votes. Spencer Hutchings walked away with 2,396 votes, and JoAnne Guzzi, who dropped out of the clerk race in April, received 1,266 votes.  

Rudd said he was grateful for the election process and expressed excitement about the transition into the clerk's position.  

“I really appreciate the trust and confidence that the voters of Bonner County have put in me to represent the county as their next clerk of the district court. I'm humbled by that and want to do the best I can to live up to the votes that people have given to me,” Rudd said. 

Unopposed incumbents Clorissa Koster and Robert Beers kept their positions as county treasurer with 9,477 votes and county coroner with 9,528 votes, respectively. Unopposed candidate Cory Gabel won the open seat for county assessor with 9,363 votes.  

In a positive turn of events for the Northside Fire District, voters approved a temporary, two-year levy request. The increased levy will be used to maintain staffing levels, appropriately equip necessary operations and maintain fire protection throughout the county.  

“For years, we have operated on a very limited budget while prioritizing what matters most: maintaining staffing levels to ensure emergency response capabilities for our community. That has often meant postponing equipment upgrades, operating aging fire engines, and extending the life of equipment well beyond its intended service cycle,” Northside Fire Chief Jeff Armstrong said in a press release about the levy. 

Armstrong said that the levy will provide some financial relief, but that the district remains committed to “careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars.” 

Northside’s temporary levy was approved in 1,620 votes, or 55.40% of votes, with 1,304 community members voting against the levy. The two-year temporary levy will increase by $689,112 per year, starting in fiscal year 2027.  

Westside Fire District failed to pass its permanent levy, which needed a supermajority vote, or 66.67% to pass. 651 voted in favor of the levy, or 60.17% of votes, with 431 individuals voting against the levy.  

PRECINCT RACE 

Incumbent Anita Aurit narrowly won the Airport precinct with 190 votes, or 39.67% of the votes, defeating Melanie Almeida, who received 182 votes and Nathan Duff, who received 107 votes.  

Jerry Favor ran unopposed for the Algoma precinct, obtaining a total of 283 votes.  

For the Baldy precinct, incumbent Butch Horton won the seat with 257 votes, or 66.24% of the votes, against Adian Quinn, who only received 131 votes.  

Unopposed incumbent David Britton won the Beach precinct with 204 votes.  

Incumbent Anne Wilder Chamberlain won the Blue Lake precinct, running unopposed, and received 241 votes.  

Unopposed candidate incumbent Lana Santelli won the Careywood precinct seat with 337 votes.  

Incumbent Roger Rudd won the Clagstone Precinct in a majority vote, receiving 311 votes, or 69.27% of the votes, against Wayne Martin, who received 138 votes.  

Jensen Heisel won the Clark Fork precinct seat with 54.11% of the votes, or 171 votes. Incumbent Dimitry Borisov received 145 votes. 

Ryan Wells went uncontested for the Dover precinct with 181 votes.  

In a slim race for the East Priest River precinct, Wendy Eaton won the seat with 202 votes, or 50.63% of the votes. Incumbent Jeff Connolly lost with 197 votes.  

Uncontested candidate incumbent Douglas Paterson won the Edgemere precinct with 273 votes.  

Incumbent Richard Townsend won the majority vote for Gamlin Lake precinct with 177 votes, or 66.54% of the votes, with Shane Terpstra receiving only 89 votes.  

Incumbent Ron Korn also had a majority vote for Grouse Creek precinct committeeman, receiving 330 votes, or 63.58% of the votes, against Barbara Shriber, who had 189 votes.  

The Hope precinct seat was awarded to Travis Keibert, who received 215 votes, or 62.14% of the votes, while incumbent Kim Peckham received 131 votes.  

Incumbent Mat Macdonald received 163 votes, or 56.99% of the votes for the Humbird precinct, with Jennifer Greve receiving 123 votes.  

Incumbent Cory Gabel ran against Don Holmquist for the Kootenai precinct, winning the majority vote with 253 votes, or 60.96% of the votes. Holmquist had 162 votes.  

Joshua Jones was uncontested in the Laclede precinct race and earned 134 votes.  

Shane Horlacher won the Lamb Creek precinct seat with 120 votes, or 51.50% of the votes, against incumbent Michael Fife, who received 113 votes.  

Oden precinct was awarded to incumbent Tom Cleveland, who received 313 votes, or 61.13% of the votes. Debra A Dawson had 199 votes.  

Incumbent Tanner Linton won Oldtown precinct with 292 of the votes, or 62.66% of the votes, against Cameron LaCombe, who received 174 votes.  

Priest Lake precinct seat was narrowly won by incumbent Mike Nielsen, who had 68 votes, or 51.13%. Hunter Storro had 65 votes. 

Steve Smith won the Sagle precinct with 492 votes, or 72.67% of the votes, against incumbent Andrew Kee, who had 185 votes.  

Chuck Lowman won the Selle precinct with 270 votes, or 56.96% of the votes. Incumbent Sean Morgan lost with 204 votes.  

With 591 votes, incumbent Cornel Rasor went unopposed for the Southside precinct.  

Spirit Valley precinct seat was awarded to incumbent Stephan Truss, who had 321 votes, or 62.94% of the votes, as opposed to Jonathan Welch, who had 189 votes.  

Incumbent Tom Bokowy won the Washington precinct with 382 votes, or 73.89% of the votes, against Al Ribeiro, who received 135 votes.  

West Priest River precinct seat was won by Reuben Akre, who got 133 votes, or 59.64% of the votes. Incumbent Kristen Dodd lost with 90 votes.  

Incumbent Scott Herndon ran unopposed for the Westmond precinct and had 417 votes.  

Donna Griffin had 92 votes, or 63.89% of the votes, to secure the Wrenco precinct seat against Mark Banks, who received 52 votes.  

    Candidate Jeff Roberts speaks at the podium in front of opponent incumbent Asia Williams and clerk candidates Spencer Hutchings and Roger Rudd.