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Wednesday was the first day for Bend City Council and mayor hopefuls to start circulating petitions, and three candidates picked up their paperwork by the end of the day, according to the city’s elections officer.

Sally Russell, Bend mayor pro tem, intends to run for mayor and filed a nominating petition Wednesday, City Recorder Robyn Christie said. Russell declined to answer any questions until she’s collected the 150 signatures she needs to make the ballot.

She was first elected to the City Council in 2012 and easily won re-election in 2016. Before announcing her re-election campaign, she told the Source Weekly that she wanted to be mayor, but she declined a nomination in January of 2017. Every former mayor of Bend has been chosen by city councilors, not voters.

Bend resident Charles Baer also picked up a petition to run for mayor.

In a Facebook video announcing his candidacy, Baer said he would “legalize magic mushrooms” and create more parks if elected mayor.

Perennial City Council candidate Ron “Rondo” Boozell intends to run for the council seat now occupied by Councilor Nathan Boddie. Boddie is running for the Oregon House seat now held by Rep. Knute Buehler, the Republican candidate for governor.

The other two councilors whose terms are up in 2018 are City Councilor Barb Campbell and Mayor Casey Roats. Neither Roats nor Campbell have announced if they will run for re-election, though both have hinted at it.

— Reporter: 541-633-2160; jshumway@bendbulletin.com