Challenger Lawrence "Pete" Big Hair, Big Horn County's sheriff, defeated incumbent County Commissioner Sidney "Chip" Fitzpatrick to take over a seat on the three-member board.
The race was one of several contested matches decided Tuesday, part of a wave of new leadership in Big Horn County government.
Big Hair took 445 votes to Fitzpatrick's 427, according to a Wednesday afternoon count, with all precincts reporting. All results are unofficial until certified.
In the race to replace Big Hair as sheriff, Darrell D. King is the winner with 53 percent of the vote over Robert Frank Simpson in the nonpartisan race.
Challenger Rick Krueger will be the next coroner for Big Horn County, taking 76 percent of the vote. He defeated incumbent Daryl Nordquist, who was arrested and accused of breaking into a Billings residence and making threats in February 2022.
Jeanne Torske won the race for county attorney over Jordan Knudsen. Torsek picked up 55 percent of the vote and will replace Jay Harris, who did not seek re-election.
Incumbent Kimberly Yarlott beat challenger Teresa Turns Plenty to remain the county's clerk and recorder. Yarlott took about 66 percent of the vote.
