House District 3, county commish, will see races this election season

There will be a race in House District 3 this election season. There will also be a race for county commissioner, as Jack Fallon, a Republican, will run against incumbent Pam Holmquist in the primary.

Andrea Getts, a Democrat, recently filed to run for office against incumbent Republican Braxton Mitchell in the House District 3 race.

The district covers Columbia Falls, the North Fork and the Canyon.

Both are graduates of Columbia Falls High School and both are relatively young — in their 20s.

It’s becoming a crowded race on the Republican side for Montana’s First Congressional District, which covers the west side of the state.

As of Monday, Allen H. McKibben, Al “Doc” Olszewski, Mary Todd, Ryan Zinke and Matt Jette had all thrown their hats into the proverbial ring. The winner of the June 7 primary will face off against Cora Neumann, a Democrat, in the general election.

Montana’s First Congressional District was added after the state gained a seat as its population grew to over 1 million in the 2020 census.

Zinke was formerly a Montana Congressman from 2015-217 before becoming Secretary of Interior under the Trump Administration. He resigned in early 2019.

County attorney Travis Ahner, Sheriff Brian Heino, Clerk and Recorder Debbie Pierson have no challengers yet.

Cal Ketchum is running as a Republican for Flathead County Superintendent of Schools. Incumbent Jack Eggensperger has not filed for re-election.

The deadline to file is March 14 at 5 p.m.

In the School District 6 election, one candidate to date has filed to run — incumbent Heather Mumby. Gail Pauley, who is the West Glacier representative is up for re-election as is Larry Wilson. Neither had filed as of last week.

The West Glacier representative only votes on items that concern the high school, as West Glacier has its own elementary school.

The deadline for school elections is March 24.