This year’s ballot is fairly brief, as most of the elected officials whose terms are up are running unopposed.  The ballot’s lone contest is for two seats on the City Council, to be determined in a three way race between current council members Lance Tripp and Jaime Olsen, and familiar face Justin Schwartz.  Olsen was appointed to the council following Larry Knudsen’s retirement from the council, so her election observes the timeframe of Knudsen’s original term.

Seats for the Cemetery district, Recreation district, Soil and Water district, Fire district, and School board are all unopposed.  Mayor Joan Hawkins is also running unopposed for re-election to her position.

Lance Tripp, Jaime Olsen, and Justin Schwartz have been asked to submit a statement of introduction and their plans for the city council seat they would occupy.  A number of important issues will be under consideration for the city over the upcoming years, including public works projects, grant development, policy updates, the Impact Zone, development and code enforcement matters, and budgeting.  The candidates for the office each have their own approaches to some of those issues, and voters will be able to hear them from the candidates themselves in this forum.  Those statements will be printed alongside a sample ballot in next week’s Enterprise.

Voting will take place on election day, November 7, at the Oneida County Event Center.

In addition to district and school board elections, off-year year elections generally involve municipal offices, ballot measures, and recalls.  State law allows for uncontested elections to be left off the official ballot.  While not a lengthy ballot, voters are encouraged to add their voices to the conversation about the future of the city by making their choices known for the city council seat.