GILLETTE, Wyo. — Following a rather involved governmental selection process, Campbell County Republican Party Chair Scott Clem has been selected to fill the vacant seat on the Campbell County Board of Commissioners.
Created by the Aug. 1 resignation of Commissioner Butch Knutson, state statutes required not a special election but an insulated selection process from within Knutson’s own party to replace him.
Nine qualified Republican applicants were whittled down to three, from which the final choice was made in a special meeting called on Thursday evening. Clem will be sworn in at 9 a.m. Friday morning in Courtroom #2 of the Campbell County courthouse.
In a press release announcing the selection the county extended its congratulations to Clem and the other applicants.
“We look forward to working with him as we address the needs of the county. To all of the applicants who expressed interest in the open seat, we thank you and are grateful for your willingness to serve the citizens of Campbell County,” the post read. Comments on the press release, though, indicate some people outside of government in the county are less than enthusiastic about his selection.
As a vacancy replacement, Clem will serve the remainder of Knutson’s term though 2026 with the option to run for reelection in 2027 upon completion of the term. he will begin his duties as a commissioner immediately following his swearing-in ceremony Friday.
