By Jason Stuart
Ranger-Review Staff Writer
The filing deadline for this year’s municipal elections is just a week away, and so far only one race looks like it will be contested.
As of Friday morning, one person had filed to run for mayor and three people had filed to run for the four seats up for election on the Glendive City Council, though one of the incumbents who has not filed yet announced their intention to run again in an interview with the Ranger-Review on Friday.
In the mayoral race, so far only one candidate has filed. That candidate is Kevin Thompson. Thompson currently serves on the Glendive Unified School Board, which he won election to in May 2016. He ran for city council for Ward 2 in 2015, losing to long-time council member Leon Baker.
Incumbent Mayor Jerry Jimison, who is finishing his fourth full term in office — making him by far the longest-tenured mayor in Glendive’s history — said his decision on whether or not he will run again will come this week. Jimison’s wife has been battling cancer for the last several years, and he said her next check-up is Monday, the results of which he said will determine whether or not he runs for another term.
“That will kind of be the deciding factor in my life of whether I move forward or not,” Jimison said. “That will sort of be the deciding factor of how much time I have to devote to the position of mayor.”
For the city council races, in Ward 2, sitting Councilwoman Avis Anderson has filed for election. Anderson was appointed to the council last summer to fill out the term of former council member Kevin Peña after he moved outside of the city limits. She is seeking her first full, four-year term on the council.
In Ward 3, incumbent Councilman Doug Baker has filed for re-election. Baker won his seat on the council in 2013. He was unopposed in the 2013 election and won his seat by acclamation.
Ward 4 has what is so far shaping up to be the only contested race. MacKenzy Haggerty, an 18 year old recent graduate of Dawson County High School, has filed to run for that ward’s council seat.
Incumbent Rhett Coon has not officially filed yet, but on Friday morning, he told the Ranger-Review he definitely intends to run again.
“Yeah, I guess I’m going to throw my name in the hat,” Coon said. “There’s still a few things I want to try and get done with the city.”
Ward 1 has not drawn any candidates so far. Incumbent Councilwoman Betsey Hedrick has not yet announced whether she intends to run again or not, and the Ranger-Review has been unable to reach her for comment.
Glendive residents will also vote on city judge this November. So far the only person to file is incumbent Judge Kerry Burman.
Richey will also hold a municipal election in November to elect a new mayor and two out of four town council members. To date, Harlyn Olson has filed for mayor of Richey and Kirk Winhofer has filed to run for one of the two town council seats.
The deadline to file as a candidate for this year’s municipal elections is 5 p.m. on Monday, June 19. To file as a candidate, contact Dawson County Elections Administrator LeAnne Cantrell at the county courthouse.
Reach Jason Stuart at rrreporter@rangerreview.com.