The Havre City Council elections are only four days away, and everyone involved is excited for the people to make their choice. And in the only contested race, the Ward 3 council seat, the candidates are anxious to see the results.
Rick Dow said he is still going out knocking on doors, getting requests for yard signs and meeting with people, energetically pursuing his first foray into politics. Looking back over the past few months, Dow said he is proud of his work, and the clean campaign conducted by both sides.
“It’s been going great,” Dow said. “We’ve gotten good feedback from everybody. We’re running a positive campaign, and so has my opponent, and that’s the way to do it.”
Kaul is both similarly anxious to see the outcome on Tuesday and happy about the campaign’s civility.
“It’s been a good clean campaign,” Kaul said. “Nobody’s slung any mud.”
He said, though, he was disappointed that the Havre Daily News coverage was not “fair and objective” or “well-researched” enough.
Campaign contributions have been moving, mostly to Dow.
According to documents filed with the Montana Office of Political Practices, Dow’s campaign has received more than $3,500 from contributors around Havre including community business leaders, such as hotel owner Bill Dritshulas, Northern Montana Hospital CEO Dave Henry and Brad Lotton, former chair of the Hill County Republican Party and owner of Lotton Construction Co.
“It’s really humbling,” Dow said. “I really appreciate it. It’s the best system in the world, people putting up their hard-earned money, their own private property, to support someone they feel will represent them.”
Kaul has gone the route taken by the other council candidates who are running unopposed in the race by filing that he would not spend any money on his campaign.
“I had to put $25 in the account to open an account, but as far as any contributions, I have not taken anything from anybody,” Kaul said.
He did use signs from his 2007 election, which was pointed out as a contribution by the Republican party earlier in the campaign.
And money has been spent on getting Kaul’s name out there, in advertising bought not by Kaul but by the Hill County Democratic Party, who checked with the Office of Political Practices before hand. It is allowed, as long as Kaul has nothing to do with or any knowledge of the advertising.
It will be up to the 1,269 voters in Ward 3 to make their choice on Tuesday or by mail-in ballots that should be mailed in as soon as possible, and both sides are excited to see what happens.
“I believe Tuesday night, come 9 o’clock, the results should be pretty well in,” Kaul said. “And we’ll see what the people of Ward 3’s decision is.”
“We’re pretty confident about Tuesday, and I think we’ll be on the up-side,” said Andrew Brekke, Hill County Republican chair and unopposed Ward 4 candidate.
