By Katy Granath Posted November 15, 2008
Although the presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain has veritably stolen the political spotlight, Humboldt County’s own elections were the cause of far more nail-biting for local politicians.
The results of Humboldt County Hospital District Trustee seats were particularly close. John Russum barely won his trustee seat by only 47 votes. Similarly, Kenneth Hladek lost his Hospital Trustee seat to Shellie Cooney by a slim two-percent margin. Hospital seat C was also up for grabs this election, but the outcome was not nearly so close. Humboldt General Hospital’s general surgeon, Dr. Soon Kim defeated William Hammargren by more than 1,000 votes. Shelly Noble retained her School Board Trustee Seat, defeating Skip Hammargren, with 55.40 percent of the vote.
Humboldt County elected three County Commissioners, Tom Fransway, Mike Bell, and Garley Amos. Bell ran unopposed, but both Fransway and Amos beat out opponents Rich Brown and Forrest Newton, respectively, by fairly safe margins. Paige Brooks, who ran for a position as a Winnemucca City Councilman, narrowly swiped Don Stoker’s seat with 54.28 percent of the vote.
The District Court Judge election was one of the more heated races, but challenger Mike Montero soundly trounced Winnemucca attorney Kent Maher. Montero walked away with 3,490 votes, or 64.30 percent, leaving Maher with 1,938 votes, or 35.70 percent.
