Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Crying and Smirking in the Hill County Courthouse

Surprisingly, voter turn-out was rather light in Hill County considering the number of hotly contested races for county offices. Hill County turned out 34% of registered voters compared with only 25% for our neighbors in Blaine County.

Hill County Commissioner Mike Anderson lost to challenger Jim Catt by 106 votes. Anderson 1,008, Catt 1114 followed by Corcoran with 349 votes.

In the hotly contested Hill County Attorney race Gina Dahl retained her position over challenger Lindsey Lorang 1094 to 962 and Randolph garnered only 447 votes.

Long time incumbent Carrie Dickson got slam dunked in the Hill County Treasurer’s race by fellow office mate Sandy Brown 935 to 1414 I guess bad customer service does play a part in the voters mind after-all. Sandy still has to get by Republican Bill Gupton in November so this will be a race to watch.

Dana Seidel flew by her “opponent” Dave Brewer in the House District 34 821 to 246 and Jack Trethewey beat his opponent Phillip Defelice 885 to 353

Although both candidates for Justice of Peace move on for a re-match in November Audrey Barger topped Cathy Huston in this race

In the PSC District 1 race Republican Travis Kavulla beat Jerry Black with 55% of the vote to move on to face Democrat Don Ryan in November

Apparently Hill County voters are somewhat sick of business as usual. Poor Anderson spent nearly $7,000 collecting the 1008 votes which was nearly as good of investment as the bungled courthouse remodels over his past 6 year term. We wonder if Sandy is going to start trying to wean the Treasurer’s office staff off the Bon-Bons and Pork-Rinds today or will wait until she sees if she can beat Gupton in November?

Also tensions should be high in the Hill County Attorney’s office as Deputy Lorang and her old and now new boss see each other this morning.At the very least it should be a very interesting day for the employees working in the Hill County Courthouse today. Weeping, Wailing, and gnashing of teeth will be heard in the halls this morning interspersed with giggles of joy by those that like the idea of seeing some of them going, going, gone.

27 comments:

  1. It will be a good lesson in learning to see how our neighbors to the south voted for the Hill County Attorney. While Dahl investigated her husband in the death of one of their own and the democrat Attorney General gave her a pass but they all still got the votes they wanted from the dogmatic democrats.

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  2. Joe you said it before i did.I went to the rez last week and seen all the signs for Randolph,they could have easily got him in but once again they can't do nothing for themselves.with that i hope there happy with the racist they helped retain.

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  3. More than 56% of the people who did vote in the Democratic primary said Dahl had to go. Yet there she is, given another full term to continue her reign of terror, incompetency and waste. This is truly a very sad day in Hill County. And I do agree, the people who did not vote are to blame. She is easily the worst elected official this town has seen in the 30 years I have been paying attention to politics here.

    There are going to be a lot of disappointed people in Hill County over the next four years--people who wish they would have paid attention at election time.

    To the 43% of the people who did vote for this monster--it is my sincerest hope you get to see her in action.

    God help us.

    STEPHEN

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  4. and it all will remain the same.

    Such a disappointment.

    But hey, I voted against the machine.

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  5. Good Luck Audrey Barger. You have our support and vote..

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  6. You say poor Anderson spending 7 bucks per vote to lose?

    Even worse poor Lorang spent 12 bucks per vote to lose and most of it was her own money and I can't even see her being able to work in that office anymore.

    I would have guessed that hill county would have had a larger percentage voting with all the different races

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  7. People should remember the term "felony queen" and remember the accounts of overcharging people criminally by Dahl when they are called for jury duty.

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  8. Stephen is right. Really a sad day. I cannot believe this. Gina Dahl still the county attorney. Discusting! Where were all the voters? If I would have known Larang was going to pull so many votes i would have gladly voted for her. Anyone but this Dahl lady. I feel like moving the hell out of this town now.

    At least we got rid of that Mike Anderson fella. Good luck Mr. Catt. Dont let us down.

    Congrats Jack!!! I knew you could pull away with a win. I dont think Phil was much competition. The guy just doesnt fit the bill. I know a lot of people on here were against Jack, but just give him a chance and i think he will more than prove his worth.

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  9. Deconstructor, you are 100% correct. And shawnsretroworks--ditto. I was completely wrong in throwing my support behind Randolph. Had he not ran (and hell, he didn't even really run at all, did he?), I am certain Dahl would be out. Lorang would have easily received enough of Randolph's votes to overtake the Felony Queen. So I was wrong, wrong wrong to support Randolph.

    Thanks Randy for doing just enough to screw this whole election up. Now you can deal with Gina Dahl for the next four years.

    Dahl should pull herself away from making everyone around her and anyone who comes in contact with her miserable long enough to take Randolph to lunch. She owes him big time.

    SOMEONE NEEDS TO REMIND THIS WOMAN THAT MORE THAN 56% of this county does NOT want her around!
    STEPHEN

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  10. Don't blame Randy for running. You voted for him, you could have easily filled in Lindsay's circle instead.

    He did not screw up anything. What screwed things up is people who did not vote, especially those who should of voted.

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  11. I like how now, after the votes are tallied we cry and say the candidate we supported didn't even run a campaign!! It does not take a rocket scientist to tell who was out there campaigning and who was not, before we even entered the voting booth. If I were Gina I would be buying Mr. Randolph and big steak dinner for splitting the voters, who did not support her, between him and Lindsay.

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  12. Hard to believe the amount of people that did not get off thier butts to even vote

    But on the bright side we still have the general election and the non-democrat is actually the better choice in one or two of these races

    I know; it is hard to believe

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  13. Randy was suppose to run Independent I don't know where the democrat came in but it changed the dynamics.

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  14. Idiot--by "we" I believe you are referring to "me."

    Totally guilty as charged. I should have never voted for a guy who really did not campaign. I made the mistake of thinking he was the best man for the job but his lack of effort should have showed me he didn't realy want the job. Yes, I am kicking myself.
    I definitely erred.

    However, let's face the facts, the man split the anti-Dahl vote (which again, represented 56% of the voters) enough to put Dirty Dahl back where she does NOT belong.

    As for Lorang, I would not want to work with Dahl after that. Course then again, I would not to work with her before or during or any other time. I can't imagine the courthouse staff is all that thrilled by four more years of her.....

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  15. At least with Gina Dahl's zealous prosecutorial philosophy in office for 4 more years, we as a community are lucky to have a very capable defense attorney like Randy Randolph still on the job, representing both private clients as well as many indigent clients (at a much reduced rate) through the Office of the State Public Defender.

    It really troubles me to read 'Monday morning quarterbacking' comments trashing Randy for running, especially from some who previously strongly supported him here.

    As one of the folks who walked the neighborhoods of Havre knocking on doors and encouraging folks to vote for Randy, I know that he did campaign - but I also know from reading the HDN that he spent one-tenth on his campaign as did Lorang and Dahl, so it seems what you folks are actually saying is that you agree elections are bought and this is just how the system is - forget running a grass-roots campaign, it's all about spending on newspaper ads and radio ads and pens and pads and magnets.

    The real issue is that folks can't be bothered to get out and vote, even in the face of a County Attorney's Office that so many routinely complain about. I heard from a number of people who were 'too busy' to vote. I sure hope that they, and those they love, don't run into any kind of trouble with Havre's finest.

    Hill County would have been well served by a County Attorney Randolph. Hopefully 4 more years of Dahl's philosophy will prompt people to take the time to cast their vote.

    As to the comments that Randy 'stole' votes that would have given Lorang the election - nobody can know if the folks inclined toward Randy would have voted for Lorang; given the differences between them, it's certainly not a given. Given Lorang's relative inexperience and record for zealous prosecution of loser cases in District Court, the community is better off with the known entity. In 4 years Lorang will likely run again, and by then we'll all have a better sense of what the County Attorney's Office would look like under her command.

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  16. I have to agree with some of what Bigskygal has to say. How many people reached into their wallets to help their candidate buy signs, magnets, etc? Judging by the 30% or so that actually voted not that many people gave a damn one way or another. Maybe the only ones that give a rip are the ones that post on blogs but where were all the other people?

    Both Gina and Linsey spent a lot of their own money on this race so at least they cared enough to come up to the plate to bat with cash and they both went door to door.

    I have to agree with the statement "if you didn't vote don't come back here to complain"

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  17. What we really should be concerned with is the loss of business the potato chip sales department at Sam's Club will suffer with a new county treasurer if the new treasurer puts a ban on grazing at the front treasurer's counter

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  18. BigSky Gal I applaud you for doing a lot to try to get Randolph elected. And I agree with 90% of your post.

    But I dont think anyone used the term "stold." However, I would say enough anti-Dahl votes would have gone to Lorang to swing the election had Randolph not run.

    It just didnt seem to me that he was as enthusiastic as his opponents, and I wish I would have voted for Lorang, and that is just the way I feel. I do think either one would have been better than the icumbent.

    And I sadly have to agree about Dahl getting four more years to piss more people off...OR, dare I dream......do you think there is a chance in hell she will realize she just won a very close election, was almost beaten by an inexperienced lawyer, and that nearly 57% of the people who voted wanter her out, inspiring her to try and do better....Is that possible?

    She isn't terribly old. Since she won, I guess that's my new hope...

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  19. I'm hoping with you Stephen, I had the same thought. Maybe some thinkg sunk in over this campaign and she heard what people are tired of. Maybe Randolph gave her a few things to think about. I would never take back my vote. I think Lorang winning would have been unfortunate, unless of course you or your family members are a defendent in a case she prosecutes. You'll win. Period. She lost yet another case the very day of the election. The jury was only out 20 minutes. Her inexperience is bleeding through in every case she takes to court. Lets just hope for the best I guess.

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  20. I agree with most of what bigskygal says except for the part she says about hoping none of those who didn't vote,don't run into any trouble with havres finest,well i hope everyone of them idiots have dealings with her and i hope it costs them alot and maybe someday those idiots might pay more attention to what goes on around this town.

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  21. If people are too handicapped, busy,drunk or lazy to go and vote get on the permanent absentee ballot and they will send the ballot to your house,It only costs 3 stamps to have your voice heard.

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  24. It's too bad Republicans are afraid to run as Republicans. It just shows their committment to their values. Randolf switched,LaVoi had to go Independant,and Brown knew she couldn't win without all the crossover votes. Anderson barely lost because all the lies put out by idiots like like Schend and Mayor Bob(who is ashamed to use his real name--Wells) because they lost their jobs and aren't smart enough to figure out why.

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  25. Any local politics should be without party designation. That way we could discusss issues, opinions and where a candidate stands.
    If I were to run for a local office, 75% of the people voting would base that vote on the little d or the little r behind my name. 24% would vote for me or against me based on whether they liked me and at best, 1% might take the time to look at what my vision for the city or county would be and pay any attention to my positions on issues.

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