Council seats up for election

SANDPOINT — A trio of City Council seats and the mayoral post are up for election this November. The council seats are now held by Deb Ruehle, Kate McAlister and Andy Groat. The mayor’s seat is held by Shelby Rognstad.

Kate McAlister hosted a campaign kickoff Wednesday to announce her intention to run for mayor in the upcoming election. Ruehle and Groat haven’t announced whether or not they will run again. Council seats in Sandpoint are “at large,” which means residents can vote for any candidate regardless of district or zone. The candidates with the most votes win. However, candidates must be within city limits to be eligible to run.

City officials are hosting a candidate workshop Aug. 29 at 5:30 p.m. for those interested in running in the upcoming election.

This workshop will be hosted by City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton along with a current council member, who has not yet been determined. The workshop will cover filing process and requirements, city structure, strategic priorities, budget and responsibilities. Questions and discussion are encouraged during the question-and-answer segment at the end of the workshop.

Those who decide to run will need to file during the two-week candidate declaration period, which begins Aug. 28 at 8 a.m. and ends Sept. 8 at 5 p.m.

Once a candidate completes their petition, it must be certified by the Bonner County Elections Office before filing with the Sandpoint City Clerk. The candidate filing packet and associated forms are all available online at https://voteidaho.gov/city-resources.

Information: www.sandpointidaho.gov