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040999a.htrnl <br />Home P-agLe <br />News Page <br />News Story <br />NewsN et <br />Weather <br />Sri Minn. Guide <br />Classifieds <br />About Ns fto <br />Advertising <br />Contacl, Us <br />Friday, April 9, 1999 <br />Cl*tqyw-w board reviews need for <br />a 0 <br />primaries <br />By LIZ GROTTE <br />Sentinel Staff Writer <br />F I RM ONT -- The Fairmont City Charter Commission <br />will meet next month to discuss requiring a primary when <br />more than two candidates run for election to a city seat. <br />Currently, the charter does not provide for a primary <br />regardless of the number of candidates seeking a particular <br />office -- a fact that has been of little significance historically <br />since Fairmont has held few elections with more than two <br />candidates per elected position. <br />But the issue has come to the forefront with ghat seems to <br />he an inordinate level of interest in Fai rmont's mayoral seat. <br />Two candidates -- Mayor Donna Holstine and local <br />advertising copy writer Bob Brown -- already have stated <br />their intentions to run in this fall's election. In addition, <br />there are several ether Fairmont residents who have not <br />officially announced candidacies but are considering a run. <br />With filings not scheduled to open until late surnrner, only <br />time will reveal who officially throws a hat into the mayoral <br />nng. But charter commission chairman Dennis Boro <br />decided the time to look into the issue is now and said he <br />expects the cormission to discuss primary pros and cons in <br />Mai. <br />Those pros and cons are fairly straightforward. primaries <br />cost money -- about $3,000 to $4,000 according to Fairmont <br />City Administrator Jim Zarling. <br />On the flip side, in a race with three or more candidates, the <br />scales dramatically tip in favor of the incumbent by splitting <br />any vote for change. Ironically, the greater the number of <br />Page "t of 3 <br />littp : / /fairmontseritinel.comJnews /stories /040999a.htmi 2/3/2003 <br />