Election filings begin

Candidates have started to file for the Nov. 5 general election, which will include positions on area school boards, city councils and the Meadowlark Extension District board, it has been reported.

Incumbent Kelli Lambrecht of Hoyt has filed for re-election to position five on the Royal Valley Board of Education.

All school board and city council positions will continue to be non-partisan, it was reported, meaning candidates do not list any political party affiliations. 

Candidates have until noon on Monday, June 2, to file at the Jackson County Clerk’s Office, which is located on the second floor of the Jackson County Courthouse. 

To file for a school board, city council or mayoral position, candidates can choose to file by paying a $20 filing fee or by petition by obtaining a certain amount of signatures from registered voters in their school district or city. 

Candidates seeking election to the Meadowlark Extension District board must file by paying the filing fee. They cannot file by petition, it was reported.

Candidates can download a filing packet and/or nomination petition form from the county’s website at www.jacksoncountyks.com

Four people interested in the same position would cause a primary election, it was reported. That election would be held Aug. 5.

School board positions that will be included on the November ballot are:

* Three positions on the Jackson Heights B.O.E, which are currently held by Doug Amon (now position two due to redistricting), Matt Browning (now position three) and David Holliday (now an at-large position).

* Three at-large positions on the Holton B.O.E. currently held by Ryan Phillips, Trent Tanking and Terry Lierz. 

* Positions four, five and six on the RV B.O.E., which are currently held by Joe Mitchell (position four), Lambrecht (position five) and Ann Kelly (position six). 

All school board members serve four-year terms. 

To determine whether you qualify as a candidate for a specific position on a school board based on where you reside, contact your local school district office or the county clerk’s office. 

The general election will also include position two and position four on the Holton City Commission, which are currently filled by Clara Ann Lovvorn (position two) and Eric Bjellend (position four). City commissioners serve three-year terms. 

There will also be several positions on each city council included in the election. Those positions are still being finalized, it was reported. 

School district, city council and the Meadowlark Extension District clerks and administrators have until May 1 to “certify” and send an official notice to the clerk’s office listing what positions will be included in the election, it was reported.

There are also two positions on the Meadowlark Extension council that will be included in the fall election. Those positions are currently being filled by Bruce Yonke and Carolyn Kennedy, and board members serve four-year terms.

For more information about the election, call the Jackson County Clerk's Office at 785-364-2891.