Election slate filled

A late entry by incumbent Paul Kess completed the lineup for Ely’s fall elections.Kess, a city council member since 1995, entered the race before Monday’s filing deadline and is the eighth and final candidate for three council positions.He joins fellow council members Jerome Debeltz and Mark Zupec in the race. They will be challenged by Louis Kotzian, Robin Mathews, Charles Novak, Pat Osaben and David Schmidt.The Sept. 14 primary will whittle the field of eight down to six, and the top three vote-getters in the Nov. 2 general election will win four-year terms on the council.Ely will also hold a primary election for the city’s top political post - the mayoral position now held by Frank Salerno.Salerno, former city council member Roger Skraba and Mark Haarman are seeking the position, which carries a two-year term.Under a charter change approved by the council four years ago, a primary is triggered when more than two candidates file for mayor and when the number of council hopefuls is more than two times the number of positions available.