Election sees a changed landscape

Last week’s election brought significant changes to the political ground in Caribou County, with all three major cities seeing changes at the mayoral level, and the others seeing some changes in the council makeup.

According to County Clerk Jill Stoor, the number of voters participating in the election was a bit higher than average for off-year elections.  Whether this is due to the sheer number of contested elections or enthusiasm for the candidates, the result is the same—more citizen voices were heard in the weighty decision-making process that elects our governments.  Another inescapable reality of this election specifically is the importance of any one individual vote.  While it is often said that “one vote really can make a difference,” some of these results make a powerful demonstration of that case.  There have not been any suggestions from any of the locations about potential recounts, but there certainly were some very close races.

The closest race was that for Bancroft City Council seats.  The race is interesting for its razor-thin closeness, but also for the fact that all of the candidates participating were write-in candidates.  It’s not unprecedented, but it certainly is uncommon.  The race for two positions between Mike Ackerman, Raquel Reed, and Jessica Thurman was separated by a total of 5 votes.  Thurman received 45, Ackerman received 43, and Reed received 40, which means the total spread was 12.5% of the total votes.  It does go to illustrate how important votes can be in deciding races.

In the mayoral race for Bancroft, the spread was larger, but still a quite close result, all things considered.  Joe Perry was elected to the position with 75 votes to Eric Christensen’s 58.  The Cemetery levy and North Gem supplemental levies also comfortably passed.  In the North Gem Trustee race, Philip Knox received 45 votes to Brandi Wakley’s 18.

In Grace, the current mayor Jackie Barthlome received 86 votes to challenger Dave Pristupa’s 142.  Barthlome finishes a tenure which saw a lot of changes in Grace, and we hope to sit down with her, as well as mayors Austin Robinson in Soda Springs and LuCus Spencer in Bancroft for an exit interview when they have the time.  Grace and Thatcher’s cemetery override levies also passed.

In Soda Springs, Paul Gritton was elected mayor, earning 343 votes to Brock Byram’s 237 and Robert Lau’s 142.  In the City Council race, the top two were Ryan Carpenter, with 612, Paige Byram with 439, and Rod Worthington with 337.  Gritton’s seat will need to be filled by appointment, which will involve the approval of the council and will take place next year when Gritton becomes mayor.

The candidates across the races thanked the community for their interest and support, and Farm Bureau, the Rotary Club, Small Town Ruckus, and other organizations for their support of the election process.

On behalf of the Enterprise, allow me to echo those thanks, and to congratulate the candidates on a clean and professional election season.  Although many of the candidates directly stated thoughts to this effect, it was clear to the paper that those who made the brave decision to put themselves in the public spotlight did so with the best interests in their communities at heart, and a real desire to affect positive change.  Having covered acrimonious elections in the past, it was refreshing to see that nothing went in that direction to any extent.

Here are the official results, which have been approved by the Coard of County Commissioners, which met on Monday.

Caribou County Election Results

Bancroft 

Mayor

[X] Joe Perry 75 (56.39%

Eric Christensen 58 (43.62%)

City Council (2)

[X] Jessica Thurman 45 (33.59%)

[X] Mike Ackerman 43 (35.16%)

Raquel Reed 40 (31.25%)

Bancroft Cemetery Override Levy (50% to pass)

[X] Yes (84.65%) 

No (15.35%)

North Gem School District Trustee Zone 3

[X] Philip J. Knox 45 (71.43%)

Brandi Wakley 18 (28.57%)

North Gem Supplemental Levy

[X] Yes 169 (68.15%)

No 79 (31.85%)

Grace

Mayor

[X] David Pristupa 142 (62.28%)

Jackie Barthlome 86 (37.72%)

Cemetery Override Levy 

[X] Yes 214 (84.92%)

No 38 (15.08%)

Thatcher Cemetery District (50% to pass)

[X] Yes 11 (91.67%) 

No 1 (8.33%)

Soda Springs

Mayor

[X] Paul Gritton 343 (47.51%)

Brock Byram 237 (32.83%)

Robert Lau 142 (19.67%)

City Council

[X] Ryan Carpenter 612 (44.09%)

[X] Paige Byram 439 (31.63%)

Rodney Worthington 337 (24.28%)