Filing opens Thursday for 2014 elections

Filing opens Thursday for Flathead County’s elected officials.

Openings for the 2014 election cycle include positions currently held by Clerk and Recorder Paula Robinson, Sheriff/coroner Chuck Curry, County Attorney Ed Corrigan, County Treasurer Adele Krantz, Superintendent of Schools Marcia Sheffels and Justice of the Peace positions held by Mark Sullivan and Daniel Wilson.

Also up for election is the District 1 county commissioner seat currently held by Cal Scott. 

Scott was appointed in April 2012 to fill the remainder of Jim Dupont’s term following Dupont’s death in March 2012. Scott was elected in November that year to serve the remaining two years of Dupont’s term.

Flathead County recently reconfigured the boundaries for its three commissioner districts to reflect population shifts from 2000 to 2010.

District 1, generally the northern tier of Flathead County, now dips farther south in some areas. Areas such as Olney and land to the north of Olney used to be in District 1 but now are included in District 3.

Commissioner candidates must live within their district for two years preceding the election.

People can run for the commissioner seat only in the district where they live, but all county voters cast ballots for all commission races.

A primary election will be held June 3 for positions with multiple candidates.

Candidates for county offices can find information about how to file on the county website, http://flathead.mt.gov/election. 

The filing deadline is March 10.

Also on the ballot this year are local legislative elections. 

Positions in all House districts are up for election, along with Senate Districts 4 and 5, currently represented by State Sens. Jon Sonju and Verdell Jackson.

For information on state races, go to http://sos.mt.gov/elections.