Campaign season officially starts

The election season gets underway on Monday, Aug. 26, which is the first day candidates for city offices can pick up the paperwork and file for elected offices. The candidate filing period ends on Friday, Sept. 6.
 While it’s an off-year for high-profile contests like the presidential election, there are city and county offices that will be on the ballot in November.
 In odd-numbered years, county voters will elect officials to serve on taxing districts, such as cemetery, fire protection, recreation and school boards.
 Residents of Weiser, Midvale and Cambridge will be voting in municipal elections this November. Candidates for city elections must reside within the respective city limits to run for office. The candidate forms can be picked up at the city clerk’s office.
 There are two options to file for any of the city or county offices up for election and get on the Nov. 5 ballot.
 Office seekers can file a declaration of candidacy and nominating petition that contains the required number of signatures of qualified electors verified prior to submission.
 The second option is to simply file a declaration of candidacy and pay the $40 filing fee.
 The declarations of candidacy must be returned to the respective city clerks in Weiser, Midvale or Cambridge or the clerks of the respective county taxing districts by 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6.
 In Weiser, the offices of mayor and three members of the city council will be decided in November. The voting is at-large, which means the top three vote-getters will win the three council seats.
 Current Mayor Diana Thomas has already said she will not seek another term in office. With no incumbent in the office to beat, at least three Weiser residents have said they plan to seek the office of mayor.
 There are three seats on the six-member city council that will be decided by voters. Those offices are currently held by Larry Hogg, Layna Hafer and Cliff Barberis.
 In Midvale, Mayor Brian Graham is up for election, along with city council members Katie Baker and Phyllis Widner. There are a total of four elected city council members in Midvale.
 In Cambridge, council members Gary Franklin and Verl Cate are up for election this fall. There are a total of four elected city council members in Cambridge.
 In the Weiser School District, three of the five school board trustees are up for election in November. They include Cary Gibbs (Zone 1), Dr. Mark Pritchard (Zone 4) and Kerry Nyce (Zone 5). Candidates for school board must live in the zone that is on the ballot.
 In the Cambridge School District, trustees Candy Clark (Zone 1), Jared Farrens (Zone 3) and Christy Crocco (Zone 4) are up for election. Zone maps and candidate petitions are available from the school district clerk.
 Two trustee seats on the Midvale School District school board will be on the ballot in November. Those seats are currently held by Steve Sutton (Zone 3) and Jake Mikek (Zone 4).