Photo by Trei Johnson
Voters in Kenneth City will decide the mayor’s race and two council seats during the March 10, 2026 municipal election, according to the city clerk and the town’s 2026 Candidate Information Packet.
The election follows a year of leadership turnover that included a mayoral resignation and multiple council actions clarifying how vacancies and terms are handled under the town charter.
Which Seats Are on the Ballot
The March ballot will include:
- Mayor
- Two Town Council seats
Kenneth City has five council seats in total. Two are up for election this cycle. The remaining two seats will appear on the ballot in 2028.
Which Council Seats Expire
Two current council members must run in March. Council member Jensyn Schmidt must stand for election because the council appointed her to the seat.
Under the charter, appointed members must run at the next regular municipal election.
Council member Donald Kinney must also run because his term expires in March.
A third council seat could open after the election. Acting Mayor Robert Arrison still technically holds his council seat while serving as mayor. He has also filed a Resign-to-Run form. If Arrison wins the mayoral race, his council seat will become vacant. If he loses, the seat will still become vacant due to the Resign-to-Run filing.
In either case, the council would appoint someone to fill the vacancy.
While Arrison cannot automatically return to council if he loses the mayoral race, the town charter allows the council to re-appoint him by majority vote.
What Happened to the Former Mayor
Former Mayor Megan Zemaitis resigned effective Oct. 1, 2025, according to an email read into the record during a special council meeting that night.
In her resignation email, Zemaitis wrote:
“I’m reaching out to let you know that I am resigning effective immediately due to personal matters. In addition, I see no point in staying on a Council that insists on doing the same things over and over again expecting different results. I cannot be a part of it any more.”
Her resignation letter appears in the Oct. 1, 2025 special meeting minutes. Meeting records show she had been absent from council meetings for several months before resigning.
How the Charter Handles Mayoral Vacancies
After Zemaitis’ resignation, council accepted legal guidance clarifying the charter’s process for filling a mayoral vacancy. The guidance confirmed that no special election is required.
Under Section 2.05 of the charter:
- The vice mayor serves temporarily when a mayor resigns
- Voters fill the mayor’s seat at the next regular municipal election
Council Changes the Mayor’s Term Length
Council also approved a change affecting the next mayor’s term.
Instead of finishing the remainder of the previous term, the newly elected mayor will serve a full three-year term. The change applies to the winner of the March election.
No Written Public Comments
Council also considered whether written public comments should be read aloud during meetings.
The motion failed on a 2–2 vote, which caused it to die. As a result, council will not read written public comments during meetings.
Clarifying a Former Council member’s Departure
During discussion at a recent meeting, Acting Mayor Arrison referenced the prior council service of mayoral candidate Bonnie Noble.
Town records show that Noble’s resignation letter is included in the Oct. 1, 2025 special meeting minutes, the same meeting in which Zemaitis’ resignation was read into the record. City Clerk Kristin Cook confirmed that resignation letters are part of the public record and available through a public records request.
In a written response, Noble said she was neither removed nor disciplined by council.
“I did not resign from office as part of any disciplinary action, nor was I removed from my seat by the council,” Noble wrote. “Following the April 7, 2025 special meeting, I made the personal decision to step away from serving as a seated council member.”
Noble said the decision involved medical considerations and ethical concerns and was not related to her later decision to run for mayor.
What Voters Should Know
Kenneth City currently has three seated council members:
- Donald Kinney
- Jensyn Schmidt
- Robert Arrison
Municipal elections coincide with the presidential primary in presidential election years. The March 10 election will shape the town’s leadership during a period of transition and could also trigger an additional council appointment after results are finalized.
