By Staff Writer Daniel Locke
HELENAThe community now formally knows which candidates it will have to select for mayor and city council as the qualifying period for Helena’s municipal election has ended.
All five City Council seats will be contested, while the mayor’s seat is up for grabs.
Helena will select a new mayor after incumbent Brian Puckett declared he will run for reelection in January. Puckett only served one term, claiming that he was unable to run again because of a stroke he had in August that left him in the hospital for several days.
Puckett clarified that he always considered Helena’s best interests, even when he had to make tough choices that drew criticism.
Three members of the city council are also not participating in this round. The current members who will not be on the next council are Hewy Woodman (Place 5), Laura Joseph (Place 4 and council president pro tempore), and Chris Willis (Place 1).
Dominga Gardner and Cathy Hammann will compete for the position of first member of the council.
James Carroll and incumbent Council Member Andy Healy, one of two existing members seeking reelection, will compete for Place 2. Healy was appointed to replace Chris VanCleave, who resigned in January due to health concerns, and if elected, he would be completing his first full term.
The other incumbent running for reelection is Council President Alice Lobell, who is running for a third term. For third place, she will face Ray Yokel and Dennis Wilson.
Brooke Dodson and John Wilder are the two contenders in the race for place four.
Four candidates are vying for the position of Place 5, making it the most crowded contest in the 2025 Helena Municipal Election. Michael Rodgers, Alex Miller, Jeff McDaniels, and Rebekah McDow Henderson will vie for the last council seat.
There will be three candidates in the mayoral campaign as well. Helena has selected George Pickle, Russ Powers, and Billy Rosener for the position.
Voting in the municipal election is open to Helena residents on August 26 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Helena Sports Complex and the Church at Cahaba Bend will be the locations for the voting.
The election can be viewed at CityofHelena.org/election-information for those interested in learning more.
