The Flathead County Elections Department has scheduled the election for two city council races that have been in limbo since November.
The new election on May 7 fulfills a Feb. 16 order by Judge Robert Allison annulling the results of November’s election for the Ward 1 and Ward 2 city council races due to a clerical error that sent incorrect ballots to roughly 8% of the city’s voters. Election administrator Debbie Pierson initially filed a petition requesting all four ward results be annulled and held again, but Allison ruled that two of the races did not have a margin of victory that could have been affected by the clerical error.
Incumbent city councilors Kari Gabriel and Sam Nunnally both won their reelection bids against challengers Wes Walker and Gabriel Dillon respectively. Gabriel and Nunnally stepped down from their positions following Allison’s order nullifying the results, but were appointed as interim councilors until the new election is held.
The May 7 date coincides with school district and special district elections. Ballots will be mailed to active absentee voters on April 22, while poll voters will vote at the Flathead County Fairgrounds EXPO building on Thursday, May 7, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For more information about the upcoming elections, visit www.flathead.mt.gov/department-directory/election.