2008 Primary Election results for Natrona County
by Carol Crump
Voter turnout was low in Natrona County, with 12,318 out of 27,846 registered voters -- 44 percent -- casting ballots.
Included in the total were 1,171 absentee ballots. Percentage-wise, Republicans led the turnout with 52.58 percent, followed by Democrats at 42.08 percent, Libertarians at 44.26 percent and nonpartisan voters at 6.87 percent.
In the Natrona County Republican races, U.S. Sens. Mike Enzi and John Barrasso were unopposed.
For the U.S. House of Representatives, the top vote getter on the Republican ticket in the county was Cynthia Lummis, who out polled her main challenger Mark Gordon by 660 votes. Bill Winney ran a distant third with 908 votes.
In the Natrona County Democratic races, U.S. Senate challenger Chris Rothfuss beat out Al Hamburg, 2,067 votes to 889. The winner of that race will face Enzi in the General Election.
For the Senate seat held by Barrasso, Natrona County Democratic voters chose Keith Goodenough with 1,978 votes over Nick Carter with l,286 votes.
For the vacant U.S. House seat, Democrat Gary Trauner was unopposed, as was Libertarian W. David Herbert.
For the Wyoming Senate districts, only one Senate seat was challenged in the primary on the Republican ticket. In Senate District 30, State Sen. Charlie Scott received 1,253 votes to challenger Tom Walters' 804 votes.
In the Wyoming House districts, only Roy Cohee (House District 35) faced an election challenge in the Republican primary. Cohee received 1,088 votes to beat challenger Beth Nachbar, who received 481 votes.
For the Wyoming Senate and House seats on the Democratic ticket, all candidates who filed were unopposed and will move forward to the General Election. Not all Senate and House districts fielded Democratic candidates.
Candidate Jackie Brown, who was on the ballot for HD 56, withdrew from the election on Friday because of a planned move out of the district.
On the Libertarian ticket, Timothy A. Delany was unopposed for SD 58. There were no other candidates from the Libertarian party for Wyoming legislative seats.
For Natrona County Commission on the Republican ballot, Ed Opella with 3,674 votes and Matt Keating with 3,684 votes were the top vote getters who will move forward to the General Election.
On the Democratic ballot, both Ray Pacheco with 2,553 votes and Worth Christie with 1,830 will go into the general election to vie with the Republican candidates for the two open seats on the commission.
The city and town council races in Natrona County are nonpartisan.
In the City of Casper Ward I, Kate Sarosy was the top vote getter with 1,228 votes. She and Kimberly Holloway, Josh Kronberg and Roger C. Kline will vie for two open seats.
In Ward II, Stephanie Boster was the top vote getter with 2,275 votes, topping Monte Henrie's 1,975. There were 120 write-in votes that may produce candidates for the two open seats.
In Ward III, Maury Daubin and Peggy Phillips will challenge each other in the General Election.
For Bar Nunn Town Council, all three candidates and a write-in could move on to the General Election for two four-year seats. Wendell Tekel was the top vote getter.
For the one open two-year seat, both candidates will move forward. John R. Blase defeated Jamie Purcell by 20 votes.
In Evansville, all four candidates will move forward. Doug White was the top vote getter for the two open council seats, followed by Tiffany Rayner.
For Mills Town Council's two open seats, Rosalie Coleman, Elsie J. Herbort, Clyde (Ed) Greenwood and Scott Cotton were the top vote getters.