Several candidates quickly announced plans to run for public office on Monday as the filing window opened for the 2013 municipal elections.

Mark Johnson filed to run for the mayoral seat on the Kalispell City Council.

Johnson, a financial adviser at Merrill Lynch and certified public accountant, did not return a phone call seeking comment on his campaign. In a full-page advertisement in Tuesday’s Daily Inter Lake, he said his goal in running for mayor is to “make Kalispell the best place to own a business and raise our children.”

Johnson seeks the seat held by Mayor Tammi Fisher, who is not running for re-election after one term. 

According to his biography on Merrill Lynch, Johnson has served as a member of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors and the Flathead Valley Community College board of directors. He recently resigned as president of the Glacier Country Pachyderm Club board of directors.

Sandy Mundahl Carlson filed to run for a Ward One seat on the Kalispell City Council held by Bob Hafferman. Because of redrawn ward districts, Hafferman would have to run for re-election to the Ward Three seat presently held by Jim Atkinson. 

Neither incumbent had filed as of Tuesday.

Also on opening day, Chad Graham filed to run for a Ward Two Kalispell City Council seat currently held by Jeff Zauner.

A local builder, Graham is chairman of the Kalispell Impact Fee Advisory Committee and the Kalispell City Planning Board. He challenged Wayne Saverud for a Ward Two seat in the last election cycle and lost by a narrow margin.

Graham also spearheaded the referendum to overturn the City Council’s 2012 approval of an upgrade of Kalispell City Airport. The referendum goes before city voters in the November election.

In Kalispell, five of the nine City Council seats are open. That includes the mayoral seat held by Fisher, a Ward One seat held by Hafferman, a Ward Two seat held by Zauner, a Ward Three seat held by Atkinson and a Ward Four seat held by Tim Kluesner. 

The position of Municipal Court judge also is open. It currently is held by Lori Adams, who was appointed to the position last fall.

No one filed to run Monday or Tuesday in Columbia Falls. Four of seven city council seats there are up for election. That includes seats held by Shawn Bates, Dave Petersen, Mike Shepard and the mayoral seat held by Donald Barnhart.

Bradley F. Johnson filed on Monday to seek re-election as Whitefish Municipal Court judge. Three of seven city council seats in Whitefish are open. Those seats are held by Chris Hyatt, Bill Kahle and Phil Mitchell.

The window for candidates to file remains open through 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 27.

The list of people who have filed to run for office is updated daily at http://flathead.mt.gov/election.

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.