The candidacy filing period for Petersburg’s municipal election is officially open. There are 20 local office seats slated for the October 7 ballot, including a mayoral race.
Longtime Petersburg Borough Mayor Mark Jensen announced at a June 2 assembly meeting that he will not seek reelection.
“I thought it was time to announce that I don’t intend to run for mayor in October,” Jensen said. “That gives people that are interested in the mayor’s position [time] to put their name in.”
Assembly members Scott Newman and Donna Marsh’s terms expire this year.
Newman told KFSK he intends to run again — but this time for mayor. Candidates can only run for one elected position at a time, per Borough code, which means Newman can’t also run for his expiring assembly seat while in the mayoral race.
Although Marsh is still undecided on running for another term, she told KFSK she is “definitely considering options.”
The school board has two seats up for election; Sarah Holmgrain and Niccole Olsen’s terms expire this year.
Three hospital board seats will be open for election. The seats are currently filled by Joe Stratman, Cindi Lagoudakis, and Kimberley Simbahon.
Jim Floyd, Phillip Meeks, and Donald Sperl’s terms on the planning commission are up this year, adding three seats to the ballot.
Also on the ballot this fall will be two seats on the Harbor and Ports Advisory Board, two Library Advisory Board seats, three seats on the Parks and Rec Advisory Board, and two Public Safety Advisory Board seats up for election.
All but two positions —one on the Parks and Rec board and one on the planning commission— are 3-year terms.
Some positions have different filing requirements. Candidates running for assembly, mayor, school board or hospital board must gather at least 20 signatures from registered voters in the community in order to enter the race.
Residents who intend to run for local office can submit their declaration form to the borough until 4:30 p.m. on August 26.
More information about the different boards and positions can be found on the Petersburg Borough’s website.
