Fewer than one-fifth of the mailed ballots for the Helena Citizens' Council election have been returned, just days before voting closes for the neighborhood representative seats.

The Lewis and Clark County Clerk and Recorder's Office had received 2,778 of the 14,280 ballots by Thursday afternoon.

The ballots, which can be returned through the mail or in person at the first-floor office in the City-County Building, are due by 8 p.m. Tuesday.

In order for the ballots to be counted, voters must put them in the provided yellow security envelope and sign the outside of the envelope.

A clerical error nullified the original election, which was supposed to coincide with the city election on Nov. 6.

The HCC consists of four representatives from seven districts in the city. Members act as a liaison between city officials and the public. They gather public input on district- and city-wide issues, attend city meetings and work to find solutions to neighborhood and city problems.

The council has not filled its 28 seats in recent memory, but incumbent representatives have worked to increase the council's presence and effectiveness by holding quarterly district meetings, hosting a monthly public television program and creating a new monthly column in the Independent Record.

HCC districts 1, 3, 4 and 6 do not have a full slate of candidates, although ballots include blanks for write-in candidates. Representatives are encouraging interested residents to lobby their neighbors.

Here's a full list of candidates in each district. Incumbents are marked with asterisks.

• District 1 -- Matt Cohn*, Dave Dalthorp, Kent Schlosser

• District 2 -- Lynne Boone*, Mary Cochenour, Larry Mitchell*, Dan Case, Traci Clark, George McCauley*, Helen Paulson, Rebecca Ridenour*, Michael Rissman, David Scrimm, Curtis Weiler, William McCausland.

• District 3 -- George Hoff*

• District 4 -- Jim Tucker Jr.*, Adam Bell

• District 5 -- Marshall Gingery*, Ole Olsen, Ben Sutter, Harlan Rudolf

• District 6 -- Justin Trafton*

• District 7 -- Janet Hess-Herbert, Kent Mollohan, Charles Ruzicka, Bob Habeck*, Melissa Broch, Tyler Evilsizer, Ellen Bell*, Brian Olsen.

Click here to view profiles of many of the HCC candidates.

Reporter Larry Kline: 447-4075 or larry.kline@helenair.com