Star Valley race has clear winners and some toss ups

There were four, four-year term seats up for election on the council, with seven candidates on the ballot, though one, Donna Dooley has since dropped out of the race.

Two of the four incumbents, Andy McKinney and Dennis Dueker, appear to have secured their seats. McKinney had 374 votes and Dueker, 361.

There is a close toss-up between incumbents Ray Armington, Sharon Rappaport and challenger Matt Highstreet for the remaining two council seats. Armington received 304 votes, or 14.93%; Highstreet, 303 votes, or 14.88%; Rappaport, 294 votes, or 14.44%.

“It’s how I wanted to see it. Highstreet is a great guy and will be a fine asset to Star Valley,” Armington said of the results.

Highstreet said, “I have the utmost respect for all of the candidates running. Regardless of the results, my hope is that whoever is elected to serve the great Town of Star Valley puts the needs of community before their own and works hard for the people they represent.”

Rappaport said, “My understanding is that there are still outstanding votes being counted.” If so, then the ultimate outcome of the Star Valley council election remains to be seen.

Challenger Donna Fox received 196 votes or 9.63% and Dooley, though she had dropped out of the race, received 199 votes, or 9.77%.

The county’s election page, on its website, showed all the votes are counted. If the race is determined to be too close to call, then Armington, Highstreet and Rappaport could be forced into a run-off in the November general election for the two remaining seats on the Star Valley Town Council.

Star Valley Town Manager Tim Grier said while the results are still unofficial, he does not expect a run-off will be necessary. He said, in his “unofficial” best guess, the remaining two seats on the council will be filled by Armington and Highstreet.