City Commissioner Emily Dean appears set to become Helena’s next mayor. With almost 11,000 votes tallied in unofficial results, Dean holds a narrow lead over fellow Commissioner Andy Shirtliff, 5,440 to 5,237 votes. Dean’s lead, initially 179 votes, increased to 203 when final results were released just before midnight on Tuesday. Official confirmation awaits a county audit in the coming weeks.
“Thank you to every Helenan who voted and participated in this election,” Dean said via text to Montana Free Press on Wednesday morning. “This victory belongs to every person who believes in the promise of our community and the power of working together to get real results.”
Shirtliff extended his congratulations to Dean, expressing pride in his issue-focused campaign. “Congrats to Emily. Wish her all the best. But I’m proud of the campaign we ran,” Shirtliff remarked. “We kept it about the issues that people wanted to talk about.”
In the Helena city commission race, incumbent Melinda Reed and newcomer Ben Rigby secured seats, defeating Haley McKnight and Shawn White Wolf. McKnight faced controversy due to a voice message to U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy, wishing him ill. Despite her loss, McKnight remains steadfast in her community commitment, stating, “I’m really proud of the work that I did.”
Reed, leading with 6,522 votes, voiced her gratitude for community support. Rigby, with 5,650 votes, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing his focus on infrastructure and water issues.
Emily Dean, 34, emphasized her experience in policymaking and governance, with a background that includes a double major from Carroll College and a master’s in education from Southern Methodist University. First elected to the commission in 2019, Dean serves as mayor pro tempore. She articulates a vision of understanding governmental operations to achieve results, a perspective she shared during an Oct. 7 candidate forum. Dean recently married Matt Chiasson II, reaffirming her personal and professional ties to the community.
The mayor’s role in Helena encompasses a four-year term, with no term limits, allowing for sustained leadership and community investment.
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