Filing deadline nears for city candidates

Local candidates have less than one week to file for municipal openings within Sanders County.

Voters in Hot Springs, Plains and Thompson Falls will select candidates in the September 14 primary to move on to the November 19 general election this year.

Plains Mayor Danny Rowan and Hot Springs Mayor Randy Woods have filed for re-election in their respective towns. Michael Brinson also has filed for Plains mayor. The mayor position in Thompson Falls is also up for election, but no candidates had filed as of Tuesday.

Hot Springs has two positions open on the town council. Residents Leslee Smith, Cayla Aldridge and Tracy Dyson have filed for the four-year terms. In Plains, Joel Banham and George Stone have filed for the open Ward 1, Seat 2 position, while Connie Foust is running for Ward 1, Seat 1. In Ward 2 in Plains, Audrey Kolbeck has filed for Seat 2 while no candidates have yet filed for Seat 1. In Plains Ward 3, Seat 2, Christopher Allen is the sole candidate as of Tuesday.

Thompson Falls has three city council positions up for election this year. The incumbents Larry Lack in Ward 1, Seat 2, Earlene Powell in Ward 2, Seat 2, and Shawni Vaught in Ward 3, Seat 2, have all filed for re-election. No other candidates had filed as of Tuesday.

A candidate for council member must be a resident in the ward electing them for at least 60 days preceding the election, and all Sanders County communities are holding non-partisan elections.

Residents have until 5 p.m. on Monday, June 21, to file their nomination forms, which are available form the community clerks, at the Elections Office in the Sanders County Courthouse, or online at http://www.co.sanders.mt.us.