Ballots in Havre, Chinook city elections mailed out this week

Havre Daily News staff

Editor’s note: This story corrects information misreported in a story on the front page of Monday’s edition of the Havre Daily News.

Ballots will be mailed out this week in two local city elections, although most communities have no contested elections and will elect their candidates by acclamation instead of holding a vote.

The Blaine County Clerk and Recorder will mail out ballots for the Chinook election Thursday, while Hill County Clerk and Recorder will mail out ballots for Havre’s election Friday.

The ballots must be received by the clerk and recorders by 8 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7. Ballots postmarked Nov. 7 but not received by the clerk and recorders will not be counted.

In Chinook, the contested race is between Ward 2 incumbent Mitch Haider and challenger James Hodgson.

Ward 1 candidates Robert Lee Smith, running for a four-year term, and Meredy Phares, running to complete a term to which she was appointed, and Mayor Keith Hanson are unopposed.

Harlem has no contested races and the election will be held by acclamation. Mayoral candidate K.M. Hansen is running unopposed to fill the office now held by William Taylor, who is not running for re-election, and incumbent council members Ralph Schneider and Eva English are also unopposed.

In Havre, contested races are in Ward 3, where Lindsey Ratliff faces Marc Whitacre, and in Ward 4 where Will Lorett, Sarah McKinney and Lorraine M. Pester are vying for the seat.

Havre Mayor Tim Solomon, City Judge Virginia Seigel and council members Terry Lilletvedt, Karen Swenson and Denise Brewer are running unopposed.

In Big Sandy, the candidates who will win by acclamation are Mayor Stephen Stiles and council members Colby Baumgarn and Darin Ray.

The election in Chester also will be held by acclamation, with incumbent council candidates Shane Kenfield, Wendy Dauwalder and Tonia Wickum running unopposed. James Dahlen, who was appointed mayor when incumbent Noel Walston resigned to move to another area, is not up for election.