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Seats up for election on FEC board

HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 9 months AGO
by HEIDI DESCH
DEPUTY EDITOR, FEATURES Heidi Desch is the Deputy Editor at the Daily Inter Lake, overseeing coverage of arts, culture, lifestyle, community, and business. Desch leads reporters in developing stories that highlight the people, traditions, and events shaping Northwest Montana, guiding content across print and digital platforms. With more than 20 years of journalism experience, including serving as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, Desch is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism. She has received multiple Montana Newspaper Association awards, including part of the team leading the Daily Inter Lake to Best Daily Newspaper in Montana Award and the General Excellence Award in 2024 and 2025. IMPACT: Heidi’s work connects readers with stories that deepen the understanding of the community beyond daily news. | January 11, 2022 11:00 PM

Three seats on Flathead Electric Co-op’s Board of Trustees are up for election this year.

Potential candidates must be members of the co-op and live in the district they seek election to represent.

Trustee seats up for election are currently held by Stacey Schnebel, who represents District 1 that includes Columbia Falls to Essex; Steve Streich, who represents District 4 that includes Helena Flats and Columbia Falls Stage; and Gary Bo, who represents District 7, which is Kalispell south of U.S. 2.

A district map showing exact boundaries is available on the Flathead Electric website at www.flatheadelectric.com/districtmap.

Nominating petitions are due no later than March 14. Eligible candidates will be added to the ballot. Completed nominating petitions require: 25 signatures from co-op members who also live in the candidate’s district; a high-resolution photograph to be used on the ballot insert; and the candidate’s biography (100 words or fewer) to be used on the ballot insert.

Candidates will have the opportunity to give a three-minute speech to the membership at the annual meeting on April 23. For the first time, co-op members may choose to vote electronically thanks to a bylaw change passed by co-op members last year.

Mailed ballots will go out April 21 and electronic ballots will be available on April 23. Members who wish to opt out of their mailed paper ballots may do so at www.flatheadelectric.com/myballot.

To obtain a nominating petition, or with questions, visit www.flatheadelectric.com/trusteeelectioninfo or contact Cindy Crosswhite at 751-4444 or by [email protected]

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