(HELENA) Voters in the Helena School District will have eight registered write-in candidates to choose from for an open seat on the school board.
Three seats on the board are up for election this year, but only two candidates filed by the Mar. 28 deadline to have their names on the ballot: incumbent Libby Goldes and candidate John McEwen.
After that deadline, an additional eight people filed as write-in candidates:
- Ella Currier
- Angela Ewing-Hyyppa
- Douglas Hansen
- Siobhan Hathhorn
- Ralph Moody
- Michael Spreadbury
- Justin Stolp
- Phoebe Williams
Incumbent trustees Tyler Emmert and Sanjay Talwani did not file for reelection.
Lewis and Clark County treasurer, clerk and recorder Paulette DeHart, who has overseen the county’s elections since 1993, said she doesn’t remember any election with this many declared write-in candidates.
Because there are officially registered write-in candidates, county election officials will only count write-in votes for those candidates. In order for a write-in vote to count, a voter must mark the oval and write the name of the candidate.
The election is set for May 7. Helena voters will also consider an elementary school levy that would raise an additional $103,000 a year. It would raise taxes $1.35 on a $100,000 home and $2.70 a year on a $200,000 home.
-Reported by Jonathon Ambarian/MTN News
