Kalispell Councilor Ryan Hunter Announces Run for Mayor
Hunter, first elected in 2020, is currently serving his second term as a city council member
By Zoë Buhrmaster
Kalispell Councilor Ryan Hunter is running for mayor in this fall’s municipal election. Hunter currently represents Ward 3, is serving his second term as a city council member after beginning his first term in 2020.
“During the more than five years that I’ve served on the city council, I’ve been outspoken in advocating for new ideas to respond to our community’s opportunities and challenges,” Hunter stated in a press release. “I want to continue to speak up for our community by providing fresh, new leadership as mayor.”
Issues that Hunter emphasized include housing, environmentally conscious development, and subsidies for private developers.
Hunter opposed the city’s decision to revoke the conditional use permit for the Flathead Warming Shelter, a low-barrier winter homeless shelter, questioning the legality and cost to taxpayers. Instead, he raised the idea of establishing an advisory committee on housing and proposed partnering with non-profits to use surplus city property to build income-based affordable housing, though the city has not adopted either action.
“We’re not the first community to face these challenges and I think we can learn from the successes and best practices implemented in other communities,” Hunter stated. “As mayor, this will be one of my top priorities.”
Hunter has a master’s degree in urban planning from Portland State University, which he said shaped his position opposing developments that have come before council he believes would negatively impact rivers and wetlands. He has also worked for Flathead Land Trust as a Land Protection Specialist since 2009.
“We need new development to respond to our rapid growth, but we also need to ensure that we maintain appropriate standards for that development,” Hunter said.
Hunter said that he is “not afraid to hold his ground” in disagreements with fellow council members, citing his lone vote against the five-story Charles Hotel and five-story parking garage proposed for downtown Kalispell, because he said he doesn’t support the city subsidizing the hotel’s parking.
Municipal elections are scheduled for Nov. 4. Hunter’s term in the Ward 3 seat is not up for election this year as it ends in 2027.
More on Hunter’s campaign can be found here.
Councilor Sid Daoud has also filed to run for mayor according to the list of municipal candidates.
Incumbent Mayor Mark Johnson announced during a January council meeting that he will not be running for reelection. First elected in 2013, Johnson has served three terms, beating Daoud in the 2021 mayoral race.