Hunthausen ahead in Lewis and Clark County Commission race
In the Lewis and Clark County commissioner race, incumbent Andy Hunthausen was leading challenger Joe Dooling in returns posted early Wednesday.
The unofficial results had Hunthausen with 63% of the 34,656 votes cast.
The secretary of state's website noted that none of the 32 precincts had yet to be fully counted for the nonpartisan seat. But all had been partially counted.
Hunthausen, a commissioner since 2007, is seeking a fourth six-year term. He said his priorities for the county include helping to make housing more affordable.
He noted while the county cannot set housing prices, it can make an impact through subdivision regulations and infrastructure. He said an updated growth policy will help make a difference, adding the update is in "full swing" now.
Hunthausen said his vision for Lewis and Clark County includes a balanced budget; a county staff that works hard to become more efficient and always looks for opportunities to serve the public better; a county where the citizens enjoy good health and have an improved quality of life; a county that experiences healthy, consistent and well-managed growth.
He makes $102,724 as commissioner and now serves a chair of the three-member panel along with Tom Rolfe and Candace Payne. The base was $89,724 in 2024 but his salary includes an increase for longevity. He said the process for setting the salary is controlled by statute.
Dooling said the recent increase in property taxes has made this community unaffordable for many.
His priorities included stopping frivolous spending, protecting taxpayers, engaging stakeholders on land-use planning, prioritizing funding for needed infrastructure and bringing a commonsense approach to government.
Dooling said housing prices have gone out of control because the county fights "tooth and nail on development" and there are "crazy" requirements such as paved roads and storm gutters, which drives the price up on lots.
The county has 396 full-time employees, 41 departments and divisions (there are many ways to count these, a county official said) and a $127.6 million overall annual budget for FY25. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county is comprised of 3,458 square miles and is the 14th largest county in terms of space in Montana. There were 70,973 residents as of 2020, the median household income was $77,405 and there were 33,599 total housing units.
Reach Phil Drake at 406-231-9021 or .
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