Voters will not be able to write-in candidates for the positions of Mayor + City Councilperson for District 4 on the municipal election ballot November 7.

The state law that allows unopposed candidates to keep their seat in office without running in the election [sub-section 7-13-190(e)] was repealed in May – but will not take effect until Jan. 1, 2018 (pretty much right after this local election).

That means incumbent (a.k.a. currently reigning) Mayor Steve Benjamin + District 4 Councilman Daniel Rickenmann’s names will not appear on the ballot on Nov. 7 because no one filed to run against them by the Sept. 8 deadline. Plus, no one filed to run against them as write-in candidates by the Sept. 22 deadline. 🤷‍

Beginning in 2018, all candidates’ names will have to appear on the ballot (opposed or not) allowing voters to exercise their right to write-in candidates.

4 min read / Free Times