THURSDAY, September 3, 2026|
Photo – A sample ballot from 2019 – Bigfoot99 file photo
The Carbon County Clerk’s Office released the list of write‑in candidates who accepted their nominations.
Going into the August 18th primary elections, many candidates were running unopposed. However, after the elections, several write‑in candidates received enough nominations, three in municipal races, to be placed on November’s general‑election ballot.
All write‑in candidates were required to accept their nominations by filing with their respective municipal clerks.
Toga Radio obtained a copy of every candidate that will appear on November’s ballot from the Carbon County Clerk’s Office.
The Baggs mayoral race had zero write‑in votes, meaning Scott Allison and Matthew Lee Howell are the only candidates running. While no one filed to run in the primary election for any of the three open Baggs Town Council seats, write‑in candidates Jacob Dana, Harvey Kisner, and Shan Ferguson qualified for November’s general election. Write‑in candidate Becka Evan also accepted her nomination and will run unopposed for the third open council seat. Despite receiving three write‑in votes, Jim McConahay will not advance.
In Dixon, no candidates received the required three write‑in votes to appear on the November ballot. Matt Feldmann will continue to run unopposed for mayor while Raymond Hauger remains the only Dixon Town Council candidate.
Elk Mountain Mayor Morgan Irene appeared alone on the primary ballot for his reelection bid. However, Don Olson received four write‑in votes, enough to put him in contention for the seat, but he has chosen not to advance to the general election. Linda Crane, Brett Larson, and Craig Mustard will face write‑in candidate Megan Davies Jones for the two open Elk Mountain Town Council seats.
In Encampment, Jim McKinney was set to run unopposed for mayor until Greg Salisbury picked up six write‑in votes and secured a spot on the November ballot. Write‑ins also shifted the Encampment Town Council race. Gary Stull, Wyatt Craig, Steve Reichert, and John Farr filed for the two open seats, but Scott Ward’s 37 write‑ins were enough to push Farr, who had 32, out of the race. Ward has accepted his nomination and will appear on the November ballot in Farr’s place.
In Hanna, sitting mayor Charlie George was the only registered mayoral candidate, but Anthony Poulos, who received nine write‑in votes, will now appear on the November ballot as well. Originally, three candidates registered for the two open Hanna Town Council seats, Marcia Beals, Timothy Born, and current council member David Felix, but the field has expanded after Carl Bickel accepted his write-in nomination.
Medicine Bow mayor Justin George was running unopposed for reelection until Aaron Kovar received enough write-in nominations, three, to have his name included on the November ballot. However, Kovar may have chosen not to accept his nomination. Carbon County Deputy Clerk Wendy Newbrough informed Toga Radio that she was still waiting to hear from one Medicine Bow candidate, presumably Kovar, before his name can be added to the list. Sitting council members Trevor Strauch and Crystal Mayfield will remain on the Medicine Bow Town Council as only two write-in votes were cast in that race.
In Rawlins, Megan Cragun and sitting councilmember Bruce Seilaff will face off in November’s election to represent Ward One on the City Council. Both candidates received more primary votes than former mayor DeBari Martinez, and no one was nominated through write‑ins. Cristy Magagna will move on to represent Ward Two in the general election. Write-in candidate Jason Ridgeway, who received four nominations, will not be on the ballot. Cody Bluth and current councilman Steve Sanger will run against one another for Ward Three, and Christine Cruz‑Ford and Eddie Archuleta will compete for the at‑large seat. No one received enough write‑ins to enter either race.
No candidates filed to run for mayor of Riverside in the primary elections. However, Manville Gutierrez and current mayor Leroy Stevenson received enough write‑in votes, three and eight respectively, to be included on the ballot. Only Stevenson accepted his nomination, leaving him to run alone in November. Lisa Lorenz and Billie Helwick are the only candidates for the two open Riverside Town Council seats, as no one received the required three write‑in nominations to join the race.
Saratoga Mayor Chuck Davis will still run unopposed in November and Councilmen Jerry Fluty and Bub Barkhurst will continue to face Tiffany Moore in the general election. No write‑in candidates qualified for the November ballot.
And in Sinclair, current mayor Cullen Meeks will run against challenger Eugene Goetz in November. Stephanie Haldorson and sitting Sinclair Town Council member Nancy Sanders will still compete for the two open seats on the governing body. However, they will now face former mayor Leif Johansson, who has chosen to join the race after receiving seven write‑in votes.
All county-level races remain the same, as no write-in candidates received the required 25 votes to be nominated for the general election.
