Incumbents easily win in FVCC election

According to preliminary results from the Flathead Valley Community College board of trustees election, all four incumbents easily won election.

Five challengers connected with conservative or Tea Party-type groups ran in an election that has been typically low-key and uncontested.

There were two contested seats for the three-year position representing Columbia Falls, Bigfork and Whitefish School Districts. Thomas Harding, of Whitefish, won with 2,046 votes, and John Phelps, of Whitefish, won with 2,028 votes. They defeated challengers Edwin Berry, with 708 votes, Roland Horst, with 475 votes, and Glenn Wehe, with 449 votes.

For the three-year position representing Flathead high school districts, Robert Nystuen, of Lakeside, won with 3,608 votes. He is the interim chairman and ran unopposed.

For the two-year position representing Flathead high school districts, Shannon Lund, of Kalispell, won with 2,529 votes. Lund, who was a recent board appointee, defeated challengers Tim Baldwin, with 759 votes, and Michael Hebert, with 525 votes.

The official results will be released following the canvass of the election at the board of trustees next meeting.