With the filing window for Kalispell’s municipal election now closed, eight candidates have applied to the four open spots on city council. Positions include a councilor in each Ward — 1,2,3, and 4 — with existing councilor’s terms expiring, including Councilor Sandy Carlson for Ward 1, Councilor Chad Graham for Ward 2, Councilor Jessica Dahlman for Ward 3, and Councilor Jed Fisher for Ward 4.
Ward 1
Sandy Carlson
As the incumbent candidate, Carlson has been a city council member for Ward 1 since 2014, serving a total of three consecutive terms on the council. Over the years she has voted in support of expanding the business improvement district, against revoking the condition use permit for the Flathead Warming Center last year, and, more recently, supported the downtown redesign plan. With a B.A. in social sciences from Hamline University in Minnesota, Carlson moved to Kalispell in 1986, working as an account manager at American Red Cross and serving as an active member of the Kalispell Daybreak Rotary Club over the past two decades.
Wes Walker
Wes Walker is also running for the Ward 1 council position, having run in 2023. He strongly supports the downtown safety redesign plan, wanting to collaborate with local stakeholders to “ensure a safe, welcoming downtown environment.” He would like to incentivize water conservation efforts by raising developer impact fees, and is a proponent of developing an affordable housing plan and assisting Kalispell’s unhoused community by working with local organizations. He also supports a “strong towns” approach, which emphasizes sustainable and fiscally responsible city development and the importance of transparency in local government.
Walker has a master’s degree in information security engineering and currently works as a cybersecurity analyst.
Ward 2
Lisa Blank
Lisa Blank is running unopposed for the Ward 2 position on city council. Blank would like to focus on affordable housing, walkable development, reinforcing safe neighborhoods by investing in community-based safety programs and supporting first responders. She is also a proponent for investing in local parks and trails and incentivizing water conservation efforts. Blank currently works as the executive director of workforce development at Flathead Valley Community College (FVCC), in addition to serving on the Montana West Economic Development Board and volunteering with the Northwest Montana Lakes Network.
Incumbent Councilor Graham, whose term ends in December, is not running for reelection.
Ward 3
Kyle Waterman
Kyle Waterman is running for a second term on Kalispell’s city council, having previously served from 2018 to 2022, in addition to running as a candidate for state senator in 2022. During his time on council, Waterman advocated for mental health initiatives including the Flathead County Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Crisis Assistance Team that now partners with local police departments and the Flathead County Health Department to provide mental health assistance to behavioral health calls. Waterman is a proponent of preserving downtown’s historical features, in addition to supporting the downtown redesign plan because of its increase in safety measures.
Waterman has also served on the Flathead County Health Board and as chair of the county’s Transportation Advisory Committee. He currently co-owns Princess and Buck, a clothing boutique on Main Street.
Kyle Voigtlander
This is Kyle Voigtlander’s second time running for a position in government. In 2022, Voigtlander briefly ran for a house representative position out of Bozeman, highlighting his support for issues of pro-life, pro-second amendment, the protection of public and state land, and support for local businesses and agriculture during his brief campaign. For city council, Voigtlander would like to work with businesses to improve downtown, improve parks, protect in-person voting, address the homeless and drug epidemic, in addition to lowering city taxes and fees.
Voigtlander has volunteered with West Valley Fire Rescue and has a background in agriculture, studying at Montana State University before starting his own landscape and excavation business, which he currently operates.
Wes Gardner
Wes Gardner is the third candidate running for city council. Despite multiple attempts to reach him, Gardner did not respond to the Beacon’s request for comment before this article’s publication deadline.
Incumbent Ward 3 Councilor Dahlman is not running for reelection.
Ward 4
Bruce Guthrie
Running for Ward 4, Bruce Gutherie is a retired history and English teacher who has helped lead the historic walking tours for the Northwest Montana History Museum, finding inspiration in the legacies of past Kalispell community builders such as Charles Conrad and Henry Good. Guthrie believes Kalispell’s rapid growth rate is the biggest challenge needing attention and an “investment mindset” when making decisions that involve housing, development and providing consistent city services. Guthrie currently helps tutor online and offers courses with FVCC’s Continuing Education programs, in addition to working downtown.
Jed Fisher
Jed Fisher is running for reelection in his Ward 4 position, having served as a city councilor since 2022. During his term, Fisher has highlighted the importance of funding emergency responders during conversations around Kalispell’s public safety levy, voting against applying for a grant that would fund the downtown redesign plan after listening to negative testimony from community members, and against an ordinance to restrict Kalispell drivers from participating in the weekly Kruise Kalispell. Fisher served as director for the Flathead County Parks and Recreation department for 35 years, retiring in 2021.
The municipal election will be held on Nov. 4, with voters receiving their ballot in the mail in advance of Election Day.