The Montana Secretary of State’s office reviewed Sandra Merchant’s Nov. 7 election plans and approved those plans on Sept. 5.

The approval letter was provided to the city and included in City Manger Greg Doyon’s Sept. 7 weekly update to City Commissioners.

In the state’s letter to Merchant, Cascade County clerk and recorder, the SoS reviewed and approved plans for mail ballot elections for the city and towns of Belt, Cascade and Neihart.

Cascade County updating voter rolls; elections staff attends Chico conference

In her plan submitted to the state, Merchant said there’s an estimated 34,874 voters in the Nov. 7 election, including active, inactive and provisional voters.

Merchant said in her plan that her office will mail ballots on Oct. 23.

No primary needed for city election

In her plan submitted to the state, Merchant said ballots will be deposited in a locked ballot box and secured in a locker area. Any transportation of ballots will be conducted by at least two officials, according to her submitted plan.

In Great Falls, filing closed June 19.

Filing closes for city election; four file for mayor, five for commission

The following seats are up for election this year:

• mayor
• two city commissioners
• two municipal court judges
• 45 neighborhood council representatives.

The mayor and neighborhood council representatives serve two year terms.

The candidates for mayor are:

• Joe McKenney, a current city commissioner
• Cory Reeves, former undersheriff
• Casey Schreiner, a former state legislator
• Abby Brown

Three have filed for mayor; few others have filed for commission or judge

Bob Kelly is not seeking reelection after four terms as mayor. He was a commissioner previously.

McKenney doesn’t have to resign his current commission seat to run for mayor, but if elected to that seat, commissioners would have to appoint someone to McKenney’s vacated seat. If he doesn’t win as mayor, he’d retain his commission seat another two years.

Election 2022: Results

Commissioners serve four year terms.

Candidates for commission are:

• Eric Hinebauch, incumbent
• Rick Tryon, incumbent
• Kendall Cox
• Shannon Wilson
• Micaela Stroop

One of the judge seats is a four year term and the newly added position has an initial two year term.

Election 2022: Candidates, ballot initiatives

Steve Bolstad has filed for another term as Municipal Court judge.

Cayle Halberg and Mark Dunn have filed to run for the newly created second judge seat.

Halberg is in private practice and Dunn is a current city prosecutor.

All newly elected officials take office in January 2024.

The Electric is hosting a city candidate forum at 6 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Great Falls Public Library.