Incumbents win T. Falls council elections

Voters in Thompson Falls and Hot Springs turned out this month to elect council members.

A total of 270 ballots were mailed in Hot Springs and 809 in Thompson Falls. Ballots were mailed in October for the November election. While most ballots were returned by mail, voters had until 8 p.m. Tuesday to turn in ballots at the Sanders County Elections Office.

In Thompson Falls, incumbents Raoul Ribeiro in Ward 1 and Hayley Allen-Blakney in Ward 3 won re-election. Ribeiro received 58 votes and Catherine DeWitt received 52 votes for the Ward 1 position. Gunner Junge had challenged Allen-Blakney. Junge received 73 votes, while Allen-Blakney won with 81 votes.

Katherine Maudrone ran unopposed to retain her council seat in Ward 2, and received 46 votes on Tuesday.

In Hot Springs, Ed Weatherly and Susan "Tootie" Welker were elected to the two at-large positions. Weatherly received the most votes with 85, Welker received 70, and Crystal Graham received 62 votes.

Along with receiving ballots by mail and in the county elections office in Thompson Falls, election staff went to Hot Springs last week to accept ballots. Staff and election judges spent five hours at City Hall and collected more than two dozen ballots from voters.

Plains did not have any contested municipal races this year, so no election was held. Candidates will be voted in by acclamation. Connie Foust, John Sheridan and John Roesler all completed their filing and were the only candidates to file in their respective positions. Chad Cantrell was the only candidate interested in his Ward 3 seat, did not complete the filing process and will have to be appointed.

Joel Banham was the only candidate to finish the filing process for Mayor of Plains and was elected by acclamation.

The election results are considered unofficial until the official canvass, scheduled for 10 a.m. November 14.