News

City struggles in obtaining local residents to place their names on city ballot

Scott Wagar

03/13/2012

With election petitions available for the June election in the city of Bottineau, the local city government is seeing very little activity in residents choosing to run for a political seat in the community.

As of Friday, March 9, only Fred Kainz has chosen to acquire a city council petition for Brad Gangl’s seat in Ward 2, with Bob Abrahamson voicing his interest in also running for the Ward 2 seat.

The city council members who are completing their terms, and will be up for elections, Grant Tegastad, Ron Martin and Harley Getzlaff have received their petitions in their informational packages from the city, but the three councilmen have yet to return their petitions back to the city office.

Alderman Greg Bernstein, who is completing former councilman Andy Freeman’s term after he moved out of his ward in 2011, has also received his petition through his information package, and is currently working on it.   

Municipal Judge Rick Hummel has obtained his election petition and is currently out receiving signatures for the judgeship.

Presently, the following seats are up for election:

  •  Four council members at large which are four year terms
  •  One council member at large which is a two year term (this position is to fill Brad Gangl’s position after he resigned in January of 2012)
  •  One municipal judge at large which is a four year term
  •  Two park board members at large, which are four year terms
  •  Two park board members at large, which are two year terms (these two positions are to fill seats from individuals who have removed themselves from the Park Board for personal reasons)


Individuals, who are interested in running for one of these 10 positions, or obtaining more information about the positions, can contact City Auditor Penny Nostdahl at 228-3232, or visit her at the City Auditor’s Office at the Bottineau Armory.

The deadline for the petitions is April 13, at 4 p.m., at the City Auditor’s Office. The city election will be Tuesday, June 12.