Late Tuesday night, with 23 out of 28 voting precincts in Webster County reporting, Meyer had won 67.07 percent of the vote while Waechter had won 32.63 percent. (Update: unofficial vote totals.)

According to unofficial election results released by Webster County Auditor Doreen Pliner, Meyer had won 666 votes at that point.

Waechter had won 324 votes, according to those unofficial election results.

”I am very grateful and thankful to all of the voters,” Meyer said Tuesday night. ”We ran a very positive, very energetic campaign. Going forward we’re going to keep up the energy.”

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Precinct worker Julie Junkman, at right, keeps cool with multiple fans Tuesday afternoon while Jeremy Flatgard casts his ballot at left at the Cooper Elementary School polling place. The building’s hallways and classrooms are not air conditioned.

”I want to thank Gary for putting his name on the ballot,” she added. ”We invite Gary’s supporters to join our team.”

She said she will continue to focus on the mental health care issues as she campaigns for the November general election.

Waechter declined to comment on the election results until he has seen them.

House District 9 includes Badger, Clare, Duncombe, Fort Dodge, Vincent and rural areas of northern Webster County.

Meyer will face Democrat Megan Srinivas in the November general election.

The winner of the general election will replace state Rep. Helen Miller, D-Fort Dodge, who will retire at the end of this year after 16 years in the Legislature.