Submitted by San Juan County Elections Office

Whew! You almost missed your chance to run for office. Fortunately, you’ll get a second chance. During the candidate filing period in May, several of the offices open for filing had no candidates filed. When no one files for an open office, it’s called a “void in candidacy.” When a void in candidacy occurs after a regular filing period, a special three-day filing period is opened for only those offices for whom no candidates filed.

The local races that will be open for filing are all local special purpose districts: fire, park & recreation, cemetery, and water districts. According to County Auditor Milene Henley, “These districts are vitally important to local communities, affecting all parts of local life. If you’re looking for a way to make a difference, run for a local elected office. The first step to running is filing.”

San Juan County Elections Office will hold a special three-day filing period starting next Wednesday, Aug. 14, and ending on Friday, Aug. 16. Persons interested in filing as a candidate for one of the offices below can do so online, by mail, by email, or in person. The Online Candidate Filing Wizard will be opened from 9 a.m. Wednesday through 4 p.m. Friday. Paper Declarations of Candidacy will be accepted from 8 a.m. Wednesday through 4:30 p.m. Friday. The Online Candidate Filing Wizard and paper Declaration of Candidacy can both be found at www.sanjuanco.com/elections.