The retirement of one Missoula Municipal Court judge and the creation of two new judgeships means that more attention than usual is focused on this fall’s judicial elections. At City Club Missoula’s October forum – October 18, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., via Zoom – candidates vying for three seats on the local bench will make their case to the voters. The forum is free, but advance registration is required at cityclubmissoula.com. (Note: Due to Indigenous People’s Day, the October forum takes place on a different day than usual City Club forums.)
Angela Marshall, news anchor/reporter for KTMF/ABC Fox Montana/MontanaRightNow will serve as moderator.
Missoula Municipal Court Judge Kathleen Jenks is retiring, creating one vacancy in Department 1. Formerly, Judge Jenks could appoint two part-time assistant judges; now those two positions – in Departments 2 and 3 – have been elevated to full time, with a new law signed by Gov. Greg Gianforte requiring the election of all Municipal Court judges.
Candidates include the following:
District 1: Jennifer Streano and Sam Warren
District 2: Thorin Geist and Eli Parker
District 3: Jacob Coolidge and Ethan Lerman