The filing deadline has passed for open school district and special district positions up for election this year. Bobbi Christenson with the Sanders County Elections Office said that all of the special district elections were canceled due to races being uncontested.

With multiple school board candidates filing in Hot Springs and Noxon, both of those school districts will have elections. Trustees in Thompson Falls, Trout Creek and Plains were unopposed, and the school districts canceled those elections.

In Hot Springs, a 1-year term and 3-year term are up for election. Ricky Depoe was the only person to file for the 1-year position. Three candidates have filed for the three-year term, including Michael L. Mueller, Crystal Graham and Julie White.

In Noxon, four positions are open. Ben Freeman was the only candidate to file for a two-year term as a Noxon High School trustee representing Trout Creek. No one filed for the other open position on the Noxon School Board that represents Trout Creek. The school district has two three-year positions open for Noxon trustees, and three candidates have filed, including Tamra Weltz, Andrew Chaboya Cabaccang and Christopher Stough.

In Thompson Falls, John Wilson was the only candidate to file for the three-year positions that he now holds, as was Michael Linderman in Trout Creek and John Holland in Plains.

Voter registration for the school trustee and levy elections will close at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 8. Election Day for the schools will be Tuesday, May 7. Christenson said that all the school elections will be by mail. Ballots will be mailed April 17. If someone wants to register to vote after April 8, they will have to go to the election office at the Sanders County Courthouse to register and pick up their ballot. Ballots must be mailed or dropped off at the election office by 8 p.m. on May 7, when the election closes.

Christenson said that voter information cards were mailed to people who did not vote in the 2018 general election. Those who received reminder cards need to update their information with the election office in order to be mailed a ballot for the school elections. Christenson recommends people to call the office at 827-6949 if they have not received a ballot by April 25 and see if one has been issued for them.

Also this year, the Montana ballot Interference Prevention Act (Legislative Referendum 129, passed in the November 2018 election) limits who can turn in ballots belonging to another person. Anyone who turns in a ballot for someone else will have to fill out a form at the election office. The act limits each person to turning in six ballots per election. Christenson also reminded voters that for the school elections, the election office at the courthouse is the only drop-off location. School offices will not accept ballots.