Additional candidates file for local races

Three additional candidates have filed for local state and regional positions for this year’s general election. Incumbent James Manley has filed for District Court Judge in District 20, which includes Sanders County. Manley has served in that position for six year and was a private practice attorney for 37 years. Manley said he thought about retiring, but a lot of people talked to him about filing for another term. “Actually, the one who convinced me to was Clerk of Court Candice Fisher. I can’t seem to say no to Candy,” Manley said. Ben Anciaux previously filed for that position.

In Senate District 7, Gerald Cuvillier of Trout Creek has filed as a Democrat candidate. “I want to see more jobs created here in northwest Montana,” Cuvillier told The Ledger. “The Rock Creek mine has been languishing for decades. Every time the Forest Service grants permission to begin operations, a new lawsuit is filed and stalls the project again. I would enter legislation to move this kind of project forward. I would like to see more logging sales offered so that there might be a few more mills opened up. We are still lagging behind the rest of the state in jobs.” Cuvillier and Bob Brown of Thompson Falls are the only candidates to file for that position at this time.

In the race for the state House of Representatives, Cade Stiles of Thompson Falls has filed as a Libertarian candidate. “I want to run because I felt that I could be the best voice for the people of this county,” Stiles said. “Being raised here, you kind of love this county too much to let it be lost to party politics. Even being my age at 22, I think I’ve studied writing legislation and politics enough to go get what the people of this district want done.” Paul Fielder of Thompson Falls previously filed for the position.

No additional candidates have filed for the county elections of commissioner and clerk of district court. Tony Cox and Candy Fisher have filed for re-election in those respective races. The filing deadline is Monday, March 9.

Bobbi Christenson with the Sanders County Elections Office said that with the filing period closed for local special district elections, no race had enough candidates to warrant a ballot election for those races. The commissioners will vote on whether or not to cancel those elections for fire, park, water/sewer and hospital district elections.

In local school board elections, Christenson said that Plains School District thus far is the only district with enough candidates to file so that an election is needed. The school election will be held May 5, while the primary for county and state offices is June 2 and the general election is November 3.