Filing period begins: Madras and Prineville mayors, three of six council positions on November ballot

(Update: Adding Prineville positions on ballot)

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – The terms for Madras Mayor Mike Lepin and three of the six positions on the Madras City Council will end December 31, and the filing period to run for those seats opened Wednesday, as did the time to file for Prineville's mayor and three positions up for election on the Prineville City Council.

Here's the city of Madras announcement:

The Madras City Council is a Mayor-Council form of government. The Mayor is a two-year term, directly elected office and does not vote except to break tie votes. The Mayor is the spokesperson for the Council, influences the Council agenda, performs ceremonial duties, represents the City at events, can call Council meetings, and presides over Council meetings. The term for Mayor will run January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026.

The six council positions are elected at-large on staggered four-year terms. Three positions for City Councilor will be on the upcoming ballot to fulfill terms beginning January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2028. The three incumbent seats are currently occupied by Councilors Gary Walker, Jennifer Townsend, and Gabriel Soliz.

In the City of Madras, candidates for the Mayor and Council are required to be residents within the city of Madras for at least a year and be registered voters in Jefferson County. All the forms and information needed to file for candidacy are listed on the City’s website. According to the Election Information page on the City’s website (www.ci.madras.or.us), if applicants meet the requirements, they submit required forms to the City Elections Officer and once their information is verified, they will need to obtain 20 qualifying signatures to be placed on the ballot. The City does not charge a fee to file. Applicants may submit their initial interest forms beginning June 5, and a filing deadline of August 27.

The Madras City Council positions are all volunteer and require between six and eight hours per month for meetings. Members not only serve on the Council, but also serve on the Madras Redevelopment Commission which meets regularly and on the Budget Committee which meets a couple of times per year. In addition to those commitments, Council members volunteer to represent the City on local and regional committees.

Will Ibershof, City Administrator, emphasized, “The City of Madras is a great community that is growing. Serving as the Mayor or a Councilor is a great way to shape the future of our growing community.”

If you’re interested in volunteer service to your community as Mayor or a Councilor, visit the City of Madras website and check out the Election Information page.

The city of Prineville also has posted information on its website about the city candidate filing period that starts Wednesday. The four positions on the Nov. 5 ballot includes the two-year term of Mayor Jason Beebe and four-year terms of city councilors Marv Sumner, Gail Merritt and Steve Uffelman. Here's more info: