The filing deadline for citizens who wish to run for the Grand Marais City Council, the North Shore Health hospital board or the School District 166 school board was 5 p.m. on August 16. The ballot is now set for the November 8, 2016 General Election.
In the city of Grand Marais, two council seats will be on the ballot, but there will be a blank space for the mayoral slot. After the August 10 city council meeting, current Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux told the News-Herald that he did intend to run for re-election. However, he did not officially file.
Election laws recently changed for county office that make running for office as a write-in a bit more complicated. Candidates must make a declaration that they accept the office if elected by write-in votes. If no such declaration is made at the Cook County Auditor’s Office, write-in votes for that individual are not counted.
However, entities like the city of Grand Marais, North Shore Health and School District 166 will still count write-in votes. So Mayor Arrowsmith DeCoux can run for re-election as a write-in candidate.
Asked what happens if no one files for the mayoral seat, Auditor Braidy Powers, who oversees the Cook County elections said, “If no one is elected on November 8th, the council can appoint someone until the next election– assuming Jay [Arrowsmith DeCoux] fills out his term. If he resigns early–say in November or December then more than two years would remain until the next mayor could be elected and a special election would have to be held. Two years is the key.”
Incumbents Tracy Benson and Tim Kennedy both have filed for re-election.
City council terms are for four years and the mayor’s seat is for two years.
Jensen steps forward for school board
School District 166 board seats to be on the General Election ballot are currently held by Terry Collins and Sissy Lunde.
Collins represents District 2, which is the Croftville and Grand Marais East area. Collins previously told the Cook County News-Herald he would not be running. A candidate has come forward. Carrie Jensen of Grand Marais has filed to run for the District 2 School Board seat.
Lunde represents District 4, which is the Gunflint Trail and Maple Hill areas. Lunde has filed for re-election.
School board terms are for four years.
Incumbents running for hospital board
Two positions on the North Shore Health hospital board are up for election this fall. District 2, which is currently held by Justin Mueller, and District 4, held by incumbent Kay Olson. Both have filed to run again.
Hospital board terms are for four years.
County has only one contested race
The election filing period for a number of other local government positions closed on May 31, 2016. Only one race had more than one candidate. Incumbent County Commissioner Garry Gamble will face challenger Myron Bursheim for Commissioner District 2, east Grand Marais.
Commissioner Heidi Doo-Kirk represents District 4, which includes Maple Hill and the Gunflint Trail. No one filed to run against Doo-Kirk.
The Soil and Water Conservation District has three supervisor seats up for election. The incumbents all filed for re-election and none of them—Donald Goodell (District 1); Joan Farnam Morrison (District 3); and Jerry Hiniker (District 5)—will see an opponent on the ballot.
Leave a Reply