Candidates filing for city, school district positions

By Reader Staff

The candidate filing period for city and special district elections remains open until Friday, Sept. 8 at 5 p.m., with the offices of mayor and three Sandpoint City Council seats up for election on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

The declaration period is for candidates wishing to be on the ballot, as well as write-ins.

Voters will be asked to cast ballots for the mayor’s office, currently held by Shelby Rognstad, and the three council seats currently held by Andy Groat, Kate McAlister and Deb Ruehle. 

The mayor and council seats are all four-year terms. 

Forms required to run for office — including the filing packet, write-in declaration of intent and others — are available at voteidaho.gov/city-resources. 

Upon completion of their petition, candidates for city offices are required to visit the Bonner County Elections Office (1500 U.S. Highway 2), to be certified prior to filing with the Sandpoint city clerk. Likewise, those intending to run for office must visit Bonner County Elections to establish that they have taken the proper steps to appoint a campaign treasurer, which must be done before a candidate is allowed to accept or spend any campaign funds.

Campaign finance matters should be directed to the Bonner County Clerk’s Office. More information is also available at sos.idaho.gov/elections-division/campaign-finance-filing.

As of press time Aug. 30, McAlister had declared she would run for mayor and Amelia Boyd — who currently serves on the Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission — had declared her candidacy for the City Council.

Meanwhile, two seats on the Lake Pend Oreille School District Board of Trustees will be up for election in November. The terms for Trustees Purley Decker and Geraldine Lewis both expire in 2023. Lewis, who serves as board chair and represents Zone 4 — south of Highway 200 including Sagle to East Dufort Road, east of Highway 95 — has already publicly declared she will seek reelection.

The forms required to run for special district office, including the LPOSD board, are also available at voteidaho.gov/city-resources, as well as by visiting bonnercountyid.gov/departments/elections.

Other election information is available at voteidaho.gov.