Mail-in ballots for the Lake County Special Purpose Districts and School Districts will be sent out April 15 and must be returned to the Lake County Election Office by election day on May 5.  

Across the county, several candidates are running for irrigation boards, fire district trustee positions, water and sewer director positions, and school board seats. Along with the ballot comes a seven-year levy for the Polson Rural Fire Department.  

Polson Rural levy and fire district: The Polson Rural Fire District is requesting a $250,000 annual levy to replace the expiring levy. This levy will be used for either maintenance or purchasing brush trucks, a command car, fire engines for structure fires, water tenders, pump trucks and emergency response apparatuses.  

This would amount to $6.86 per year for a house with a market value of $100,000, $20.57 per year for a house valued at $300,000, or $47.08 per year for a house valued at $600,000.  

Two incumbents, Ron Roberts and Glen (Dick) Wunderlich, have filed to retain their seats on the Polson Rural Fire District board. 

Ronan School District: One trustee seat is open in District 30-1, which encompasses the downtown area and Hwy. 93 corridor, and has three candidates: Carli Hughbanks, Dakota Desjarlais and Lloyd Irvine. District 30-2, which includes rural areas and Pablo, has two openings and four candidates: are current board chair Bob Cornwell and incumbent Levi Read, and Jamie Baldwin and Silas Perez. 

Charlo School, Water & Fire Districts: The Charlo School Board has three open trustee seats. Candidates are incumbents Daniel Cahoon and Nathan Bauer, and Tina Firestone and Tra Ludeman.  

Incumbent Irvin Long filed for the sole opening on the Charlo/Moiese Rural Fire District and incumbents Matt Hout and Tricia Andersen will retain their seats on the Consolidated Charlo Water and Sewer Board. 

St. Ignatius School Board and Rural Fire District: Vying for two seats on the school board are incumbent Peter Matt and Adam Wood, Michelle Wood and Rhianna Ruhkala.  

Arlee School and Rural Fire: Six candidates are vying for two openings on the Arlee School Board. They are Alfred Deroche, Brandon O’Brien, Cammie Dupuis Pablo, Justin Curtiss, Kristine Gardner and Whitney Larson.  

Arlee Rural Fire District has three candidates for two openings: incumbents Gary Drye and Susan Black and Teddy Allestad.  

Remaining contested races  

• Rollins Rural Fire District has two trustee seats open, and three candidates – incumbents Greg Lefevre and Jill Sundvahl and Roger Bartels.  

• Chief Cliff Fire has two open trustee seats sought by incumbents Mike Meuli and Sigurd Jensen and Les Walter.  

• Pleasant View Water & Sewer District near Polson has incumbents Jeffrey Tschida and Robin Ellenwood and John Jolliff competing for two openings.