The Democratic primary nominees won three spots on the Teton County Commission, a rebuke of an independent and two Republicans who had run before and lost.
The winners are incumbent Luther Propst and two first-time challengers who became running mates: Ali Dunford, the founder of Hole Food Rescue, and political strategist Karyn Chin.
“I’ve been on the ballot three times and won my races and this is so far making me happier than anything,” cheered Melissa Turley at a Democratic watch party Tuesday at The Virginian.
All three winners — separated from the next closest candidate by more than 1,000 votes — were supported by Shelter JH, a housing advocacy nonprofit, and by Propst’s wife, Rep. Liz Storer, who founded the Keep Jackson Whole PAC this cycle. Storer won her own re-election campaign against the GOP-backed Shannon Brennan.
(Liz Storer and her husband Luther Propst are financial supporters of KHOL. Contributions do not influence KHOL’s journalism.)
Chin and Dunford campaigned on affordability and working class values. They gained momentum from voters looking for younger, female leadership, and will join Natalia Macker in bringing a female majority to the five-person board for the second time ever.
“I want fresh blood, because I don’t like how things are going now,” bartender and life coach Julie Zell said shortly before casting her vote at the Teton County Library on Tuesday, where she was joined by her son, first-time voter Ronin.
Investor and planning commissioner Alex Muromcew made the risky decision to run as an independent after becoming disillusioned with the Republican Party. His turning point was the Wyoming GOP’s decision to make endorsements in the primary, Muromcew previously told KHOL.
Muromcew outraised Propst in the general and came in second in overall fundraising. He felt confident going into Tuesday but also said he was ready for it to be over.
After it became clear that he came up short, Muromcew said he didn’t regret the decision to run as an independent. “What were my options?” he asked.
Some voters told KHOL on Election Day that they supported Muromcew in an effort to break up the Democratic slate that campaigned together.
But that sentiment was ultimately not strong enough to combat the momentum around Chin and Dunford and the popularity of two-term Propst.
“I’m so happy, especially because Karyn got through,” Dunford said. “I really want to serve with her, so I’m psyched.”
“I was a little nervous,” Propst told Chin shortly after the results were tallied.
“I’ll be honest, I was a little nervous too,” Chin replied. “But it’s really sinking in, and feeling really good.”
It had been a “very vulnerable” campaign she added, “but it feels like clearly it’s paid off. I’m excited to get to work for the community.”
The Republicans were quiet in their losses. Driving instructor Vicky O’Donoghue and art dealer Melchor Moore did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
They both campaigned on Jackson becoming overdeveloped, a point of agreement with their Democratic opponents. But their support for immigration enforcement alienated them from some progressive voters.
“ICE is good because they’re only taking the criminals,” O’Donoghue said at a September candidate forum, weeks after immigration officials arrested a Turkish woman in Jackson with no prior criminal record.
Anti-ICE sentiment was not strong enough to propel independent Chris Glenn, a merchandise manager with no prior law enforcement experience, to Teton County Sheriff. Democratic incumbent Matt Carr also batted off a challenge from his deputy, Republican Eric Snow, who is currently suspended for what he said is failure to enforce a DUI.
The commission winners were all feeling a sense of fatigue in the hours leading up to election day. They had eked out narrow wins in the August primary against well-known incumbents Mark Newcomb and Wes Gardner, thanks in part to the support from Shelter JH, which offers some of the only endorsements in town.
“Running for [commission] is like enduring a six-month-long job interview process,” Dunford said, “where everyone is your potential boss…win or lose.”
The incoming commissioners will work closely with Ashlee Nader, a county clerk who will serve as the next Teton County Assessor. Nader easily beat out Republican accountant Norman Mellor III for the role as Melissa Shinkle retires. Nader spent most of election day ensuring polling went smoothly and said she was exhausted but excited about her win.
In the nonpartisan town council race, incumbents Jonathan Schechter and Alyson Spery will keep their seats after beating challengers Jessica Sell Chambers, a former councilor, and Gabriel Koerber, a first-time candidate who works in hospitality.
“Across the country, things are going well,” Schechter said. “We’re living in a good world.”
This was Spery’s first campaign after she was first appointed from a pool of applicants to fill a vacancy in 2025. “I feel really gratified,” the bartender and filmmaker said Tuesday. “The community liked the job I’ve been doing and supports me continuing to do the job.”
Schechter, an economist, led the group in fundraising, with $47,804 to Spery’s $10,400 and Sell Chambers’ $8,374.
Koerber, who raised just $568, animated some younger voters by challenging the council’s decision to renew a contract with Flock Safety, which makes license plate readers for policing.
“Those who will sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither,” Koerber said during an October forum. “Just because our police force is underfunded does not mean that we should all give up our privacy.”
But he and Sell Chambers, a trauma coach who also lost a bid for mayor in 2024, ultimately failed to gain momentum, coming in far below the incumbents in the primary and the general.
Sell Chambers said she was feeling “frustrated” by the results and the amount of money in politics.
Koerber, who launched his campaign because he was tired of seeing the same names on the ballot year after year, pledged to run again in 2028.
“This is just the start for me,” he said.
