Two candidates are vying for the seat vacated by former Mineral County Commissioner Shawn Smalley in the November election.  

Republican Dan Clemts, 68, and independent Bruce Moats, 70, are both running to represent Mineral County’s Central District on the Board of County Commissioners. The seat opened up unexpectedly after Smalley resigned from the board in mid-June amid health concerns. 

Commissioners selected Clemts on July 23 to fill the vacant seat for the remainder of the year. He was one of three names submitted by the Mineral County Republican Central Committee to step in as interim commissioner and, a month later, became the official Republican nominee for the spot. 

Local political parties had until Aug. 19 to nominate their respective candidates for the ballot. No Democratic candidate will appear on the ballot. 

Clemts is a lieutenant with the Superior Volunteer Fire Department, assistant chief of Search and Rescue Mineral County and hosts the Old Schoolhouse Rock Car Show, an annual event that raises money for scholarships.  

This is his first time in elected office, Clemts said. But he’s no stranger to budgets, payroll or working with government agencies. His resume includes a decade of experience in tech support and restaurant ownership, plus another five years as the owner of a mechanic shop.  

Clemts moved with his wife Tamera Clemts to Superior from San Antonio in June 2018. He spent several years as a member of the Mineral County Republican Central Committee before he left to focus on the fire department. 

“I feel like I can do good,” Clemts told the Inter Lake last month. “I’m at a point in my life where I want to give back.” 

Moats was a columnist in the Mineral Independent on a freelance basis before he decided to run for county commissioner. He returned to Mineral County in October 2023 after a 47-year career in law. Born and raised in Superior, Moats typically visited his family twice a year before he moved back permanently. 

His columns have received overwhelming positive feedback, Moats said, and played a huge part in his bid for elected office. By Aug. 1, more than 100 registered voters signed his petition to run as an independent candidate. He needed to gather at least 89 signatures and managed to collect 121 within two weeks, he said. It seemed fitting to run unaffiliated with a political party, given his background as a reporter and an attorney for journalists.  

“I think we should all be independent, as Americans and self-governors,” Moats said. “We should all be independent thinkers.” 

Election day is Nov. 3.  

Report for America Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 406-758-4439 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.