11:50 p.m. UPDATE - The unofficial results are in for the 2022 Helena and East Helena school elections.
Voters in the Helena School District are electing three school board members. Kay Satre, Siobhan Hathhorn and Lois Fitzpatrick appeared to have won the open seats according to the unofficial results.
Satre, a professor of English at Carroll College, received 8,096 votes. She was followed by Hathhorn, a former teacher and principal, who garnered 7,362 votes. Fitzpatrick, a former library director and professor emeritus at Carroll, rounded out the top three candidates with 4,930 votes.
Incumbent trustee John McEwen, a former analyst and manager, lost his bid for reelection with 4,274 votes. Former Helena Public Schools facilities director Kalli Kind was close behind with 4,256 votes.
They were followed by Greg Guthrie with 3,953 votes, Robert Durrant with 3,196 and Matt Gorecki with 980.
There were very narrow votes on two proposed general fund levies for Helena Public Schools. An elementary school levy – voted on only by residents of the Helena elementary school district – was leading by just over 650 votes, 7,865 to 7,206. A high school levy – which voters in the Wolf Creek and Trinity School Districts could also vote on – had a margin of 17 votes, with 7,884 voting for the levy to 7,867 voting against.
In the East Helena School District, voters are choosing two trustees. Incumbents Scott Walter and Marcia Ellermeyer look to have won reelection with 1,160 votes and 883 votes, respectively. Juliet Hahn received 769 votes, and Tristan Ulmer received 659.
As of Tuesday night, results showed a little more than 37% of eligible voters in Lewis and Clark County took part in the school elections.
The unofficial results for the 2022 Helena and East Helena school elections as of 11:50 p.m.
Helena Public Schools Board of Trustees
Three seats were up for election this year for the Helena Public Schools Board of Trustees. Trustees are elected to a three-year term.
- Kay Satre - 8,096 (21.71%)
- Siobhan Hathhorn (I) - 7,362 (19.74%)
- Lois A. Fitzpatrick - 4,930 (13.22%)
- John H. McEwen (I) - 4,274 (11.46%)
- Kalli Kind - 4,256 (11.41%)
- Greg L. Guthrie - 3,953 (10.60%)
- Robert J Durrant - 3,196 (8.57%)
- Matt Gorecki - 980 (2.63%)
Total Votes Cast: 37,289
General Fund Levy Helena Elementary
- For - 7,865 (52.19%)
- Against - 7,206 (47.81%)
Total Votes Cast: 15,071
General Fund Levy Helena High School
- For - 7,884 (50.05%)
- Against - 7,867 (49.95%)
Total Votes Cast: 15,751
East Helena Board of Trustees
There are two seats up for election this year for the East Helena School Board of Trustees. Trustees are elected to a three-year term.
- Scott Walter (I) - 1,160 (33.25%)
- Marcia Ellermeyer (I) - 883 (25.31%)
- Juliet Hahn - 769 (22.04%)
- Tristan Ulmer - 659 (18.89%)
Total Votes Cast: 3,489
11:00 p.m. UPDATE - Early results in Helena-area school elections showed some close races.
Voters in the Helena School District are electing three school board members. Preliminary results, as of 8 p.m., showed Kay Satre, a professor of English at Carroll College, leading with 7,809 votes, followed by incumbent trustee Siobhan Hathhorn, a former teacher and principal, with 7,102 votes.
The race for the third spot was closer. Lois Fitzpatrick, a former library director and professor emeritus at Carroll, had 4,755 votes. She was followed by incumbent trustee John McEwen, a former analyst and manager, with 4,155 votes. Former Helena Public Schools facilities director Kalli Kind was close behind with 4,119 votes.
They were followed by Greg Guthrie with 3,823 votes, Robert Durrant with 3,106 and Matt Gorecki with 959.
There were very narrow votes on two proposed general fund levies for Helena Public Schools. An elementary school levy – voted on only by residents of the Helena elementary school district – was leading by about 500 votes, 7,553 to 7,017. A high school levy – which voters in the Wolf Creek and Trinity School Districts could also vote on – was behind by just 28 votes, 7,530 to 7,558.
In the East Helena School District, voters are choosing two trustees. Incumbents Scott Walter and Marcia Ellermeyer led in early results with 1,058 votes and 800 votes, respectively. Juliet Hahn received 686 votes, and Tristan Ulmer received 582.
Lewis and Clark County election officials said several hundred ballots were still to be counted Tuesday night, and more than 100 provisional ballots have yet to be resolved.
As of Tuesday night, results showed more than 35% of eligible voters in Lewis and Clark County took part in the school elections.
Editor's note: This article will be updated throughout the evening.
