Write-in candidate Stephen Howlett has defeated Bob Vickaryous to become the Democratic nominee for the District 1 House seat now held by Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay; the two will face off in November. Howlett received 408 write-in votes, exceeding the 392 cast for Vickaryous, whose name was on the ballot.

Vickaryous is a conservative – known for manning the John Birch Society booth each year at the Boundary County Fair – who registered as a Democrat, as did another conservative in the district, Steve Tanner, who’s running against Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint. (Previously, Tanner ran against Keough in a Republican primary.)

Howlett, a building contractor from Bonners Ferry, has lived in the area since 1977 and has long been involved in local Democratic politics, running the local caucus this year that saw a strong turnout for Bernie Sanders.