A number of special district candidates just beat the clock, filing Monday before the 5 p.m. deadline, leading to a number of big races set for November.

The Powell Hospital District trustee race for four four-year seats went from only two candidates two seven after five more filed Monday. Karen S. Elton, Joni Bennett, Melinda Shopa, Scott McKenzie and Michele Hill all filed on the final day. They join R.J. Kost and Tracy Morris and turning the race into a real contest. Christopher Cox is running unopposed for his two-year unexpired seat. 

A couple of races saw one more candidate join the running Monday. 

Beau Fulton joined the crowded Park County School District 1 race, joining sitting vice chair Trace Paul, trustee Lillian Brazelton and challengers Jennifer Franks, Aida Polson, Rich Stearns, Zachary Opps, Dustin T. Paul, Laurie Larsen, Daniel Morrow and Joni Bennett. 

The 11 candidates for four seats makes for an unusually crowded field. There were nine candidates for three seats in 2012, but the two elections years before that, in 2008 and 2010, there were only enough candidates to fill the open seats. 

In the Northwest College District, Denise Laursen filed Monday as the fifth candidate going for two seats in the Powell subdistrict. 

Incumbents Dusty Spomer and Carolyn Danko also filed for reelection, along with challengers Mallory Riley and Emily Hart. 

Incumbent John Housel of Cody sub-district B is opposed by Richard B. Jones. 

There are contests for election of two directors on the Powell Fire District board. For the fire district Director No. 3 position, Gerald “ Bear” May, Robert Feller and Brian Beavers have filed for one spot.

Three candidates also seek the Director No. 5 position. They are Kelly Spiering, Earl Melton and Heath Worstell.

Jerry Faxon is unopposed for the Director No. 1 board seat.

Paul Burling and Larry Denney are set to fill the two open spots for Clark Fire District 4 director. 

Four candidates have filed for three positions on the Crown Hill Cemetery Board of Trustees. They are Monte McClain, Clarence Anderson, John Karst and Jerry Clark. Sandy Specht, Jeanine Briggs and Tony Sansone are set to fill the three open Bennett Butte Cemetery District spots. 

For an at-large seat on the Powell Clarks Fork Conservation District board, Anthony Spiering and Greg Mayton have filed.  Regan Smith has filed for the rural seat on the conservation district board, and Colby Schaefer has filed for the urban seat on the board.

Libertarian filing keeps race alive for commissioner

Former Park County Sheriff’s Office undersheriff Thomas Ehlers, Jr. filed to run as a Libertarian against three Republican nominees for Park County Commissioner.

Incumbents Dossie Overfield and Lloyd Thiel and retiring sheriff Scott Steward finished as the top three vote-getters in the recent primary for three available Park County Commissioner seats. Steward is leaving the sheriff’s office, while Ehlers had been his undersheriff before Ehlers’ retirement in early 2021. Monday was the deadline day for Libertarian filings.

While most other partisan races lack general election opponents to the Republican primary winners locally, Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams (R-Cody), whose district covers rural Cody and Powell, is being opposed by Libertarian Carrie Satterwhite of Ralston.