City election filing begins on Monday

The Daily Inter Lake

Filing for city elections opens Monday in Flathead County.

Prospective candidates have until July 2 to file at the county Election Department.

In Kalispell, the four-year mayor's position, four four-year city council positions and the municipal judge's seat are up for election.

These are the seats of Mayor Pam Kennedy, First Ward council member Bob Hafferman, Second Ward council member Hank Olson, Third Ward council member Jim Atkinson and Fourth Ward council member Tim Kleusner. Municipal Judge Heidi Ulbricht's seat also is up for election.

In Whitefish, three City Council seats and the city judge position are up for election.

The terms of Whitefish council members Nick Palmer, Frank Sweeney and Nancy Woodruff expire at the end of the year. Sweeney was appointed Jan. 1 to fill out the remainder of Shirley Jacobson's term after she resigned from the council. All are four-year terms.

The city judge position currently is held by Bradley Johnson. A recent decision to change the city court into a municipal court means that applicants must be licensed attorneys.

Whitefish candidates must gather petitions of voter signatures to accompany their filing papers. Council members need 32 signatures. Packets are available at Whitefish City Hall or the county election department.

In Columbia Falls, the mayor's post and two city council seats are open. All are four-year terms.

Mayor Jolie Fish will finish her first term in December, a post she won after sitting on the council for six years.

Council members Harvey Reikofski and Dave Petersen both will end their terms in December 2009. Reikofski is finishing his sixth year of service, after filling out the final two years of Claudette Hohn's term, then being elected to his own four-year term. Petersen will finish his second year in December, after being appointed in January 2008 to fill the final two years of Charles McCubbins' term.