 - Lander’s mayoral race is now down to two contenders: incumbent Missy White and challenger Michelle Motherway.){kind=link}
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include comments from Michelle Motherway.
(Lander, WY) – Lander’s mayoral race is now down to two contenders: incumbent Missy White and challenger Michelle Motherway.
According to unofficial election results, Motherway earned the most votes in last night’s primary (1,089), while White earned 1,053.
The third candidate in the race, Alan McOmie, earned 406 votes.
In an interview on Wednesday, White thanked those who voted for her this week and encouraged even more local residents to cast ballots in November.
“There were about 1,000 or so registered voters who didn’t vote in the primary within Lander city boundaries,” White said. “My message to them is, I really look forward to hearing from them what their concerns are (and) what would entice them to participate in the mayor and council election process.”
White said she plans to have those kinds of conversations in the lead-up to the General Election, when she intends to spend more time going door-to-door to speak with constituents.
“I really am going to make a stronger effort to get out and talk to folks one-on-one,” she said. “When folks have the chance to have the personal interaction – to ask their questions and have a true dialogue – (they) understand what’s happened and why it’s happened and are pretty excited about what’s happening moving forward.”
Motherway said she also plans to do more campaigning leading up to the General Election.
“I do plan on doing some more meet and greets at different venues and also possibly doing some door to door (campaigning),” she said. “And I want to be available at all times for people to come and ask me questions. I think the more that they look at someone in the eyes the better they are going to understand how they’ll represent them.”
She didn’t do as much outreach during the primary, she said – instead, “I really let my campaign happen organically.”
“I did not do door-to-door, no mailing, (nothing) like that,” Motherway said. “I just kind of was like, ‘I want Lander to choose for themselves.’”
She said she was “pleasantly surprised” on Tuesday evening when she learned that she had received the most votes in the race.
“Lander I see you and I hear you!” she posted on her Facebook page. “Thank you! We have work to do and I am the person for the job!”
“That’s really how I felt about it,” she said Thursday. “I see you, and I see that you’re choosing me. … Thank you for trusting me (with your) votes.”
McOmie did not respond to an email request for comment Wednesday.
Council races
In the primary election for the open Ward 1 seat on the Lander City Council, George Case earned 344 votes to Jenny Young’s 165 and Oakley Corsick-Boycott’s 156.
Case and Young will now proceed to the general election.
“I am honored to have received your votes today!” Young wrote in a Facebook post. “Thank you for your faith in me! See you soon as I make my way around Ward 1 to earn your vote for the general election!”
In Ward 2 and Ward 3, all four candidates will continue on to the General Election.
Incumbent City Councilmember Chad Cassady earned the most votes in Ward 2, however, with 384 ballots cast in his favor compared to 209 for Jesse T. Grosinger.
In Ward 3, former Councilmember Michael Kusiek earned 482 votes to Sarah L. Schlosser’s 404.
Follow County 10’s election coverage here.