Wiener's Campaigning Pays Off in Ward 1

Neighborhood volunteer work and a long "grassroots" campaign may have helped Jason Wiener to a commanding victory in Ward 1's City Council contest Tuesday.

Wiener, a freelance journalist, defeated his opponent, Justin Armintrout, collecting 64 percent of the vote. Wiener received 1,676 votes to Armintrout’s 887.

Wiener said he felt strong coming out of the primary election but did not stop campaigning until 4 p.m. on Election Day, when he went for a hike in the Rattlesnake to watch the sunset.

He attributed his victory to a “grassroots effort,” saying people in his ward knew him on a more personal level than Armintrout because of his volunteer work in the community.

“A lot of people are excited about my candidacy that aren’t usually interested in city politics,” Wiener said.

Armintrout, an executive recruiter, said he felt “naïve” about the political aspect of the election process but also said the voices of Ward 1 voters were overwhelmingly heard on Election Day.

“I wanted to voice the opinions of the entire Rattlesnake neighborhood,” Armintrout said. “But I underestimated the power of the political machine of Missoula. Jason started campaigning about a year before I did and I think that had a great effect on the outcome of the election.”

Wiener said the first thing he is going to do as a City Council member is to listen.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to see how people in the city do their jobs, and how to do them better,” Wiener said.

Wiener, who supported a proposal to allow the raising of chickens in the city, voiced his support for the issue in personalized postcards to voters.

Although the chicken ordinance was not the deciding issue in the election, “I know it got me at least a couple votes,” Wiener said.

Armintrout said his candidacy was a great learning experience that could prove worthwhile in the future, though he is not sure if he will run again.

“It’s too early to tell,” Armintrout said, “but I am leaving the door open,”

- By BRIENNA BOYDSTUN, AMY FAXON, VIRGINIA CLEAVELAND, COLTER NUANEZ, ERICA DOORNEK

Walzer Trips Incumbent Nicholson in Ward 2

Voters in Ward 2 sent a message Tuesday that they want change on the Missoula City Council by narrowly electing Pam Walzer over incumbent Don Nicholson.

Walzer, a scientist and jewelry maker, garnered 998 votes to Nicholson’s 906. The loss denied Nicholson a third term on the council. He served one of his terms in the mid-1970s.

Ward 2 comprises northwest Missoula, including North Reserve Street and the Grant Creek area.

Nicholson led after initial vote counts, but as updated tallies came in his margin shrank.
Before Walzer’s 52 percent tally was announced, Nicholson left the courthouse but acknowledged that he had likely lost.

Walzer said one of her first priorities is to increase Mountain Line bus services to accommodate more people.

“I’ve heard that through the entire ward,” she said at her election party at Red’s Bar. “All neighborhoods would like to see that.”

She attributed her narrow victory to meeting with voters and discussing the issues.

“I now know where every street is in our ward and I’ve walked pretty much the whole thing,” she said. “I’ve worked hard to know the issues and voters, worked really hard.”

Nicholson, a retired paper mill manager, said he felt local media did not adequately cover the campaigns and that he was hurt by a lack of formal debates. Also, the new mail-in balloting system made it difficult for candidates to target voters, Nicholson said.

“You can do the best you can with your literature and talking to people but you can’t know for sure (if you’re reaching people),” he said.

Walzer said that Ward 2 has traditionally had tight elections and that the campaign was rigorous.

“It took several years off my life,” she said.

- By KAYLEE PORTER, KAYLA MATZKE, BILL ORAM, TREVON MILLIARD, HALLADAY QUIST AND BESS DAVIS

Missoula Votes U.S. Out of Iraq

The Higgins Bridge was cold, quiet and, well, peaceful Tuesday night, its weekly anti-war rally done for the night by the time the news came in: Missoulians voted almost 2-to-1 in favor of telling the U.S. Congress that it's time to bring the troops home from Iraq.

"The vote itself is the expression of the will of the people," said Missoula City Councilman Bob Jaffe, who sponsored the referendum. It will be up to interested groups to pass the message on further, he said.

When all the ballots were counted, 65 percent of the voters favored the referendum intended to urge Congress to "authorize and fund an immediate and orderly withdrawal of the United States military from Iraq in a manner that is fully protective of U.S. soldiers."

"I was optimistic the referendum would pass, Missoula is a pretty liberal town," said Sean Gibbons, president of Students for Peace and Justice.

With their vote, Missoulians joined about 300 other communities across the nation in opposing the war through such a non-binding resolutions.

The next step, Gibbons said, is for a letter to be drafted and sent to the Montana Legislature, the state's U.S. senators and the White House.

The issue has divided the Missoula City Council since June when Mayor John Engen cast the tie-breaking vote to put it on the ballot. Groups such as the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center and Forward Montana staged events leading up to Tuesday's election to increase voter registration and raise awareness of the issue.

"It's about getting our voices heard," Gibbons said.

- By WILL FREIHOFER

Final 2007 Missoula Election Results*

BALLOT ISSUES

Iraq War Referendum
X For: 9,192, 65%
Against: 4,999, 35%

High School Building Reserve
X Against: 11,967, 51%
For: 11,292, 49%

CITY COUNCIL RACES

Ward 1
X Jason Wiener: 1,676, 64%
Justin Armintrout: 887, 34%
Write-in: 46, 2%

Ward 2
X Pam Walzer: 998, 52%
Don Nicholson (incumbent): 906, 47%
Write-in: 19, 1%

Ward 3
X Stacy Rye (incumbent): 1,504, 57%
Doug Harrison: 1,089, 42%
Write-in: 30, 1%

Ward 4
X Lyn Hellegaard: 1,506, 53%
Jerry Ballas: 1,282, 45%
Write-in: 57, 2%

Ward 5
X Renee Mitchell: 1,220, 54%
Christine Prescott: 1,026, 45%
Write-in: 34, 1%

Ward 6
X Ed Childers: 892, 50.48%
Lewie Schneller: 852, 48.22%
Write-in: 23, 1%

Votes cast:

*All results are unofficial until the returns have been canvassed.

Preliminary 2007 Missoula Election Results

As of 10 p.m., 20,699 votes had been counted. County officials were hoping to have final results by 11 p.m.

BALLOT ISSUES

Iraq War Referendum
For: 7,897, 64%
Against: 4,421, 36%

High School Building Reserve
For: 9,853, 48%
Against: 10,543, 52%

CITY COUNCIL RACES

Ward 1
Justin Armintrout: 853, 34%
Jason Wiener: 1,611, 64%
Write-in: 46, 2%

Ward 2
Don Nicholson: 882, 48%
Pam Walzer: 923, 51%
Write-in: 18, 1%

Ward 3
Doug Harrison: 784, 42%
Stacy Rye: 1,042, 56%
Write-in: 22. 1%

Ward 4
Jerry Ballas: 1,197, 45%
Lyn Hellegaard: 1,398, 53%
Write-in: 50, 2%

Ward 5
Renee Mitchell: 1,073, 54%
Christine Prescott: 895, 45%
Write-in: 31, 2%

Ward 6
Ed Childers: 721, 52%
Lewie Schneller: 648, 47%
Write-in: 18, 1%

Early Missoula Election Results

As of 8:20 p.m., with 7,000 votes still to be counted

Ballot Issues

Iraq War Referendum
For: 5,054
Against: 3,042

High School Building Reserve
For: 6,510

Against: 6,866

City Council Races

Ward 1
Justin Armintrout: 622
Jason Wiener: 1,150

Write-in: 26

Ward 2
Donald Nicholson; 715
Pam Walzer: 664

Write-in: 12

Ward 3
Doug Harrison: 313
Stacy Rye: 339

Write-in: 8

Ward 4
Jerry Ballas: 768
Lyn Hellegaard: 879
Write-in: 25

Ward 5
Renee Mitchell: 833
Christine Prescott: 701

Write-in: 22

Ward 6
Ed Childers: 500
Lewie Schneller: 434

Write-in: 12

Keep Those Ballots Coming

If it's too late to get your municipal ballot in the mail, you can drop it off at the Missoula County Elections Office, 200 W. Broadway. County officials also will accept ballots at the following locations, from 7 am. to 8 p.m., on Election Day only:

• Rattlesnake School, 1220 Pineview Drive


• Paxson School, 101 Evans


• Russell School, 3216 Russell


• Hellgate Elementary, 2385 Flynn Lane


• Cold Springs School, 2625 Briggs