Unofficial municipal election results announced
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New mayors have been elected for Polson and Ronan, according to the unofficial results of the nonpartisan municipal general election held Nov. 4. Both have a history of community involvement and serving in municipal government.
Laura Dever, a Polson City commissioner, won the race for mayor against Marlow (Phil) Thelan, 671 to 436. Dever, who joined the commission in 2021, replaces Eric Huffine, who did not to run this year.
In Ronan, Councilman Ryal Corum has been elected the new mayor for that community. He bested newcomer Wendy Davis, 221 to 84. Corum will take the gavel from Chris Adler, who also chose not to seek re-election.
Both new mayors will serve four-year terms.
Meanwhile, incumbent Chris Heffern held on to his council seat in St. Ignatius, claiming 72 votes in a four-way race for two open positions. Former mayor Steve McCollum was the other council winner with 73 votes. Incumbent and council president Daniel Thompson received 63 votes and Shay Farmer collected 58 of the votes cast.
In uncontested races:
Ronan: Lindsay Myers retains her seat in Ronan’s Ward 2, and Micah Robertson filed to replace Marlene Melton in Ward 3. Corum’s position in Ward 1 will remain vacant as there were no candidates for that seat. Incumbent Allysen Jones was the sole candidate for city judge.
Polson: Lori Schrader-Young will take Dever’s place in Ward 2 and Jake Holley will serve a second term in Ward 1. In Ward 3, Tracy McDonald will take the place on the commission of Brodie Moll, who is stepping down in January after two terms.
Canvass of the election results is scheduled for Nov. 12 at 1:30 p.m. in the Lake County Commissioners’ chambers. At that time, the Board of County Canvassers will declare elected the individuals having received the highest number of votes cast for each office.
The new mayors and other newly elected officials will take office in January.
Laura Dever and her husband, Chad, who have one son, moved to Polson in 2020. She was appointed to the Polson City Commission, Ward 2, in July 2021, and then elected to that seat in November 2021. She has a degree in English and political science from The Ohio State University, and has had careers in book sales and publishing, massage therapy and health club marketing and management.
Community investment and public service are very important to Dever: she serves on the State Board of Behavioral Health and the CASA Montana state board; volunteered as a CASA Guardian ad Litem; is a PEO member and a Polson Rotary member. Over the years, she has served in several other organizations.
Ryan Corum has spent much of his life serving his hometown of Ronan and is looking forward to continuing that work as Ronan’s next mayor. He served two terms on the Ronan Police Commission and has been a firefighter with the Ronan Volunteer Fire Department for 12 years. Currently, he is a Ronan City councilman, completing his first four-year term.
The 44-years-old has been married for 17 years, and he and his wife are raising five children. He works for his family’s Ronan business, The White Elephant.
