Two men threw their hats in the ring Wednesday for the 1st Ward Albert Lea City Council seat.

During the first day of filing for the vacated council seat Wednesday, John Schulte V, 34, of 212 Lee Place, and Jeffrey McLaughlin, 210 Fairview Drive, filed their intent to run for office with the Albert Lea city clerk.

Schulte, a licensed civil engineer and partner at Jones, Haugh & Smith in Albert Lea, graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1995 and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2000.

He moved back to Albert Lea in 2004.

He is the city engineer for the city of Elysian and Clarks Grove, and he and his wife, Mary, reside at 212 Lee Place.

“I saw the need for somebody to step up,” Schulte said about why he decided to file for office. “With my experience in working with other councils, I felt I had some experience I could offer.”

He said he’s also interested in learning more about the internal workings of the city.

In his spare time he enjoys fishing and hunting. He has a dog and two cats.

Soon after filing, he supplied his mug shot to the Tribune with a press release.

McLaughlin filed right before 5 p.m. Wednesday. Look to the Friday edition of the Tribune for more about this candidate.

To file for office, a person must be eligible to vote in Minnesota, be 21 years old at the time he or she would begin in office and have lived in the 1st Ward for at least 30 days before the special general election.

Cost of filing is $5. It continues through Jan. 19.

The seat is open after former 1st Ward Councilor Vern Rasmussen accepted an immediate appointment as mayor. He was in the middle of his second term on the council when he won the mayoral seat in the November general election.

If more than two people file for the seat, a special primary election will be March 15. The special general election will be May 3.