FAIRBANKS—Santa Claus is running for the North Pole City Council.
The North Pole Clerk's office announced on Thursday that the former North Pole Chamber of Commerce president, whose driver's license really does bear his legal name of Santa Claus, is one of two candidates who have launched write-in campaigns for City Council. The other is La Nae Bellamy.
The North Pole City Council has two seats up for election this year, but no one filed for office during the regular filing period. Candidates run as a group for the at-large seats, with the top vote-getters declared the winners. Claus and Bellamy will need voters to write in their names next Tuesday, Oct. 6.
The lack of candidates appears to be a problem throughout the Fairbanks North Star Borough. The two candidates for the Fairbanks City Council are uncontested, as are two school board seats. North Pole Mayor Bryce Ward is also uncontested in his re-election bid.
One seat for Borough Assembly is uncontested, but a write-in challenger has appeared in that case.
The last time there was a large race for the North Pole City Council was in 2013 when six candidates entered into the race. Then there were five seats available, two were full three-year terms and three were partial terms.
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