The deadline to run for city office in Banks closes at 1 p.m. Wednesday, August 24.
Four positions are open this year; the position of mayor and three council seats.
Current Mayor Stephanie Jones has filed to run for reelection, as has City Councilor Marsha Kirk for her current seat (CC1).
In an email to the Banks Post, City Manager Jolynn Becker said that in addition to Jones and Kirk, two other people had filed, but she was still in the process of verifying their eligibility to run for office and had not yet published their information on the city’s election webpage.
Position CC3 remains vacant after the resignation of former Councilor Erica Harold-Heine earlier this year, leaving a race wide open to any prospective candidates, and incumbent Mark Gregg hasn’t yet filed to run for position CC5. Gregg could not immediately be reached for comment by email Tuesday evening.
Another vacant seat (position CC6) isn’t up for election until November 2024, and must instead be filled by appointment.
To run for mayor or one of the council positions, candidates must be registered voters in the state of Oregon and have lived within Banks city limits for at least the past 12 months. The position of mayor is a two-year term and the council positions are four-year terms.
Those interested in running must submit a completed SEL 101 form to the city by 1 p.m. Wednesday, August 24. Forms can also be found at City Hall (13680 NW Main Street).
In general, applicants would file with City Recorder Angie Lanter, but Lanter is out of the office and Becker asked that those with questions about running for office or those who wished to file contact Becker at 503-324-5112 or by email at [email protected].
More information on running for office can be found at the Washington County Elections webpage.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.