It seemed like a ways in the future…the November 4th Municipal Elections…but it has sneaked-up on us. Our all-mail-in ballots are due back by 8PM Tuesday…next Tuesday!
But beware! There’s a new requirement on your mail-in envelope. You MUST fill-in the space indicating your birth year. Not birth year, no vote! You can check the status of your ballot at Voter Portal dot MT dot gov.
It’s now too late to mail-in your ballot with the assurance that it’ll make the deadline. Miss the deadline, you vote won’t be counted. From here on out, hand-carry your ballot to the Flathead County Elections Office on North Main Street.
Flathead County is asking voters to approve a $105-million bond issue to build a new Public Safety Facility on Kalispell’s South Side.
What’s turned into the most contentious race is Kalispell’s Mayor. For the first time in memory, there are 3-candidates: Sid Daoud, Kisa Davison and Ryan Hunter. KGEZ has presented several individual conversations with each and I debate featuring all-three. For reference, you can listen to them again in the Glacier Banks Community Conversations section at KGEZ dot com.
Only City Council Ward 2 candidate Lisa Blank is running unchallenged, as Council President Chad Graham retires at the end of this term.
In Ward 1, incumbent Sandy Carlson is challenged by Wes Walker. Ward 3 has a 3-way race going: Kyle Waterman, Wes Gardner and Kyle Voigtlander. Incumbent Jed Fisher, in Ward 4, is challenged by Bruce Guthrie.
In Columbia Falls, Mayor Don Barnhart is unchallenged moving into his 5th term. Council Members Jenny Lovering and Mike Shepard are not seeking reelection, but Paula Robinson is. Her challengers are Christopher Semok, Beth McBride, Hannah Pennington and Marijke Stob.
In Whitefish, Council Members Ben Davis, Guiseppe Caltabiano and Andy Fuery are up for re-election…challenged by Nathan Dugan.
