It’s time to get out and vote!

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
Wyoming residents will join voters in 36 other states casting ballots for their governors in the 2018 general election on Nov. 6. Wyoming voters have four gubernatorial candidates to choose from in this year’s top-ticket race. 
Republican Mark Gordon beat out several heavy-hitting competitors in a newsworthy primary gubernatorial race that takes the current state treasurer to favorite position for the governor’s seat. Gordon faces Democrat Mary Throne, who according to governing.com, is “moderate enough to be a credible candidate,” but any Democrat faces “long odds” in Wyoming. 
Constitutional candidate for governor Rex “T-Rex” Rammell has run local campaigns through newspaper advertising and has several signs scattered throughout Newcastle. Lawrence Gerard Struempf rounds out the gubernatorial race for Wyoming as the Libertarian Party candidate. 
Other state races are not nearly as contested as the gubernatorial race, with three candidates for secretary of state: Republican incumbent Edward Buchanan, Democrat James W. Byrd and Libertarian Kit Carson III. Voters have two candidates to choose from for state auditor: Republican Kristi Racines and Democrat Jeff Dockter. 
Both Republican Curt Meier and Democrat Chris Lowry will appear on the general election ballot as candidates for state treasurer. Republican and incumbent Jillian Balow is running unopposed for superintendent of public instruction. 
Those living in Senate District No. 3 in southern Weston County have two candidates to choose from: Republican Cheri E. Steinmetz and Democrat Marci Shaver. Current state representative for House Dist. No. 2, Hans Hunt, is running unopposed in the general election, as is Senate Dist. No. 1 Sen. Ogden Driskill, a Republican, and House Dist. 1 State Rep. Tyler Lindholm, a Republican. 
Three Republicans fill the ballot for Weston County commissioners: Tony Barton, Marty Ertman, and Nathan Todd. They are unopposed. 
Republicans running unopposed for county offices are incumbents Cynthia Crabtree for coroner, Bryan Colvard for sheriff, Susan Overman for treasurer, Tina Conklin for assessor and Gidget Macke for clerk of district court. Also running unopposed are Republicans Alex Berger for county attorney and Becky Hadlock for clerk.
In the Newcastle City Council nonpartisan race, a total of six candidates are running for three seats. Karl Lacey, Ann McColley, Donald Steveson, Thomas Voss, Daren L. Downs and Pam Gualtieri all sealed their spots on the general election ballot during the 2018 primary election, the top three vote-getters will take seats on the Newcastle City Council. 
In Upton, Travis Beck and Jenifer Hicks both received enough write-in votes during the primary election to appear on the ballot as the two candidates for mayor. Running for the two open town council seats in Upton are Russell Gray, Jenifer Hicks, Dennis Stirmel and Joe Watt. 
Nine candidates’ names are on the ballot for the Weston County School District No. 1 board of trustees: Robert “Dean” Johnson (incumbent), Kasey Keeler, Marcia Lambert (incumbent), Brian Pischke, Rachel Blumenthal, Dana Gordon (incumbent), Mathew Gorman, Regg Hagge and Jason Jenkins. Voters will choose four candidates. 
Three seats on the board of trustees are in contention in Weston County School District No. 7. The 10 candidates vying for those spots are Woodrow Gaughenbaugh (incumbent), Jaki Gustaf, Donna Kennedy, Gene Knapp (incumbent), Ty Miller, Mark Mitchell, Julie Sindlinger, Toni Watt, Patrick Williams and Kayla Caylor. 
Voters will also be asked to approve Proposition No. 1, which states, “Shall Weston County, Wyoming continue to impose a sales and use tax at the rate of one percent (1%) upon retail sales of tangible personal property, admissions and services made within the county to raise funds for general revenue.” 
“Polling places are all in the general election proclamation that we published,” said County Clerk Jill Sellers, who oversees elections. “We have not changed the locations, and voters in Newcastle will vote at the old armory. Upton voters will vote at the Upton Community Center, and Osage voters will vote at the Osage Fire Hall. 
Special districts are also scheduling elections for November. Sellers said that these elections are run not by the clerk’s office but by the boards in charge of the districts. 
Having elections on Nov. 6, the same day as the general election, are the Salt Creek Water District, with candidates’ positions being accepted through Oct. 31, and the Sweetwater Improvement and Service District. 
The Canyon Improvement and Service District will hold its elections on Nov. 13 at 372 Salt Creek Road from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Trustee candidates are Karen Drost, Robert Humes and William Lunney. 
Other special districts in Weston County may be holding elections this month as well, but they did not provide public notice of those elections in the News Letter Journal.