Early voting for municipal election starts in mid-October
A voter takes a sticker after voting in the primary election at the trade center at Flathead County Fairgrounds on Tuesday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Ballots for the Nov. 2 municipal elections will be mailed to voters on Oct. 13, according to the Flathead County Election Department.
Columbia Falls and Whitefish are mail-ballot elections, while Kalispell is a poll election. However, ballots will be mailed to Kalispell absentee voters, also on Oct. 13.
Kalispell voters who wish to vote in person can do so at the Trade Center at the Flathead County Fairgrounds. Poll hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
There are contested races for mayor and three of Kalispell’s four wards, and a slate of nine candidates for three council positions in Whitefish.
The Daily Inter Lake begins its pre-election coverage today with question-and-answer submissions from candidatea, plus biographical information on each City Council hopeful.
IN KALISPELL, incumbent Mayor Mark Johnson is being challenged by Ward 4 council member Sid Daoud.
Incumbent Sandra L. Carlson is running unopposed to retain her Ward 1 seat in Kalispell. In Ward 2, incumbent Chad Graham will be challenged by Gabe Dillon.
Former Kalispell council member Rod Kuntz, who lost to Ryan Hunter in the 2019 election, has thrown his hat in the ring for Ward 3, where he’ll face a challenge from Jessica Dahlman. Ward 3 incumbent Kyle Waterman did not seek reelection.
Ward 4, where incumbent Tim Kluessner did not file for reelection, will see a two-way battle between Jed Fisher and Angela Kennedy.
Kalispell Municipal Judge Lori Adams is unopposed in her bid for another four-year term.
WHITEFISH CITY Council incumbents Ben Davis and Andy Feury face challenges from seven additional candidates. They include Phil Boland, Vincent Dell’Omo, Judy Hessellund, Kristen Riter, Terry K. Petersen, Mark E. Owens and Giuseppe Caltabiano (listed on the ballot as Giuseppe (G-Man) Caltabiano).
Whitefish council member Ryan Hennen did not file for another term.
Whitefish Municipal Judge William Hileman Jr. is running running unopposed for another four-year term.
COLUMBIA FALLS has no contested races; all City Council incumbents are seeking another four-year term. They include Michael Shepard, Jenny Lovering and Paula Robinson. Longtime Mayor Don Barnhart also is running for reelection.