Janet Christoffersen Running for Richland County Attorney

Two local attorneys are running for Richland County Attorney, both on the Republican Party ticket. One candidate is Tom Halvorson, and the other is Janet Christoffersen, both of whom serve currently as deputy county attorneys under Mike Weber. Weber is retiring from his long-held office, which leaves the opening to be filled by the upcoming election.

The Roundup spoke with Christoffersen, who has about eleven years in her current position, about her candidacy for County Attorney.

When asked why she was running for the County Attorney position, Christoffersen indicated there was some public demand, answering, "The main reason I've decided to run is that a lot of people have approached me and asked me to run. I think we need to make a lot of changes to the office, especially regarding the budget. I'm going to be around a while and I think we can make long-term changes, that we're not spending money on outside contracts or things that we could handle in-house."

Christoffersen is a native of the nearby Froid area, graduated from Minot State University and received her law degree from the University of Montana School of Law.

Before serving as a deputy county attorney, Christoffersen began her career with a large law firm and ultimately settled into her own private practice in the community of Sidney, working in a variety of cases, from criminal to civil.

Christoffersen explained to The Roundup that her experience qualifies her for the position.

"I've managed a large caseload for the County Attorney's Office," Christoffersen answered, "and I have developed great working relationships with numerous agencies in order to efficiently and effectively handle such a large workload. I have a common sense approach to prosecution to help not only victims, but offenders as well."

Christoffersen, who is considerably younger than her opponent, believes that her potential longevity in the county attorney position is a bonus for Richland County residents. With lots of potential time left in her career, Christoffersen feels she can make positive, long-term contributions.

Christoffersen told The Roundup, "I am invested in Richland County and have dedicated my time here for the service of our communities."

Regarding possible changes to the office, Christoffersen said, "I foresee long-term changes to the County Attorney's Office to reduce the budget and provide better service to our county officers and constituents. These changes cannot happen overnight, but need a long-term vision for the future of the office."

No Democrat filed for the office, meaning that the contest will remain between Christoffersen and Halvorson, to be ultimately determined by the primary. Absentee ballots will be sent out on April 25, and the primary will be held on June 5.