Olfert files for write-in

by Matt Unrau
| July 28, 2010 2:21 PM

Ron Olfert has heard from a lot of supporters since he lost the Republican nomination for County Commissioner to Glen Magera, 1,111 votes to 1,892 votes for Magera.

He's heard from so many supporters in fact that he's decided that his candidacy isn't over yet.

On June 30, Olfert filed as a write in candidate with the Sanders County Clerk and Recorder's Office and will still be a legal candidate during the general election in November.

"If I didn't think I had a good chance I wouldn't do it," said Olfert. "Certainly I'll have to require more voters, but 1100 is a good start."

He says that his decision not only came from the fact that many of his supporters requested him to continue his campaign, but that the low percentage of primary election voters and the low amount of democratic voters in the primary suggested to him that the percentages will swing his way in the general.

"Well I received 1,111 votes and only 9 percent of the democrat ballots cast were so it was pretty obvious that democrat had crossed over," said Olfert.

He believes that if many of the democrats who may not have voted for him in the primary will vote for democratic candidate, Nancy Beech, will allow him to make up the difference against Magera.

Part of the challenge for Olfert will be educating the voters of how to properly place a vote for him.

Although Magera and Beech will only require the oval next to their names to blackened, Olfert will need voters to blacken the oval next to the write in candidate and then voters to correctly spell his name on the line.

He plans to encourage his supporters to bring along a note as they head to the polls, so they can make sure and spell his name correctly.

Aside from his education of voters Olfert says that his campaign will be the same as it was when he campaigned in the primary election. That consists of a strong stand for property and personal rights, along with a restoration of personal freedom.

"What the people will see in the campaign is the same thing that they saw in the primary," says Olfert.