With several special district governing board positions up for election within Missoula County in Potomac, Seeley Lake and the Swan Valley, the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Board is the only election currently on the ballot for the May 3 election. However, write-in candidates can still file until Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. A write-in candidate could trigger an election if there are more candidates than vacancies.
The School District candidate filing closes March 24 at 5 p.m. There are several positions up for election at Seeley Lake Elementary, Swan Valley School, Sunset School and Potomac School.
Seeley Lake Rural Fire District election
Incumbent Jon Kimble and Alyssa McLean are running for the one, three-year term on the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District. According to Missoula County Elections Administrator Bradley Seaman, those who can vote in the Fire District Election are very similar to those who voted in the Seeley Lake Sewer District Election.
Montana Code Annotated 7-33-2106 states, “An elector, as defined in 13-1-101, who resides in the district or any holder of title to lands within the district who presents a proof of payment of taxes on the lands at the polling place is eligible to vote in the election.”
Seaman said if someone owns property within the Fire District and pays taxes on the property, they may be eligible to vote in the election. If the land is not taxed by the fire district (such as leased land), unless it is the person’s primary residence, they cannot vote in the election.
Seaman said property owners who own property within the Seeley Lake Fire District but they do not currently live there must reach out to the Election Office to request a ballot. The property owner must be registered within 25 days before the election. While the Seeley Lake Fire District Board can reach out to landowners, the Elections Office does not.
To register to vote in the Fire District Board election contact the Elections Office via email electioninfo@missoulacounty.us or call 406-258-4751.
Write-in Candidates
No election will be canceled until after the deadline for write-in candidates, Feb. 28. According to Seaman, if a write-in candidate applies, their name will not appear on the ballot but an election would be held if there are more candidates than positions. Following the Feb. 28 deadline, the Commissioners will cancel the election and accept all candidates by acclamation if the number of candidates is equal to or less than the number of open positions. The write-in deadline is always 65 days ahead of the election.
“I’ve only had one write-in candidacy in a Special District election since 2016,” Seaman said. “They are hard to win. But we want to make sure people know about the deadline to file.”
Without anyone applying to run for the two vacancies on the Swan Valley Community Council and one seat vacant, the Council could be left with only two members. According to the Council’s by-laws, a quorum for the five-member Council is three members. If they only have two members, Missoula County considers the Council dormant.
“They can meet but they can’t vote on any motions or action items,” said Laurie Hire, Missoula County Office Management for Community and Planning Services. “It is kind of a waste of time.”
Hire said the Evaro Finley O’Keefe Community Council has not had a quorum for several years. The chair continued to provide information to the community and the seats remained open. As long as it was not within the election period, interested members of the community could submit a letter of interest and be appointed by the Commissioners.
While a community can request the Commissioners to dissolve their Council, or a Council with a quorum can vote to dissolve, Hire said Missoula County discourages that. She explained all Councils go through periods of low and high participation and it is hard to know if the community will want a Council in the future. To reestablish a Council is a very involved, public process that can take up to over a year to complete.
“We want the Councils up and operating because they are very valuable resource for the Commissioners and the rest of the County government,” Hire said. “The commissioners rely so heavily on having councils operating and providing information and advice. Without the Council there is not a voice.”
Special District Filings as of Feb. 14:
GREENOUGH POTOMAC:
• Greenough Potomac Rural Fire Service Area: One, three-year term: One candidate filled, incumbent Jennifer Iverson. One, three-year term to expire May 31, 2024 is currently vacant.
SEELEY LAKE
• Seeley Lake Community Council: Three, three-year term. Two candidates filed, incumbent Tom Browder and John Richards
• Seeley Lake Rural Fire District - ELECTION: One, three-year term: Two candidates filed, incumbent Jon Kimble and Alyssa McLean.
• Seeley Lake Sewer District: Three, four-year terms: Three candidates filed incumbent Pat Goodover, incumbent Cheryl Thompson and Troy Spence.
• Seeley Lake Water District: Two, four-year terms: Two candidates filed incumbent Freda Rathbun and incumbent Charles Hahn.
• Seeley-Swan Hospital District: Two, three-year terms: Two candidates filed incumbent Walt Hill and incumbent Suzanne Philippus-Palm
SWAN VALLEY
• Swan Valley Community Council: Two, three-year terms: No candidates filed
• Swan Valley Fire Service Area: Two, three-year terms, one for Missoula County and one for Lake County: One candidate filed for Missoula County incumbent John Mercer.
For more information about the currently list of candidates or information on how to file as a candidate visit https://www.missoulacounty.us/government/administration/elections-office/information-for-candidates
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