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By Lynda Jensen, Editor, and Ivan Raconteur, Staff Writer
The filing period is closed, and among the candidates of local interest are former Lester Prairie Mayor Eric Angvall filing for state representative in District 18A, and former McLeod County Administrator Nan Crary running for the District 3 seat on the McLeod County Board – the same board that fired her earlier this year.
The election features openings for numerous state representatives, county commissioner seats, as well as big ticket positions such as US senate, US vice president and president.
The filing period closed July 15.
School board and city council positions are also up, but that filing period runs from Tuesday, Aug. 26 to Tuesday, Sept. 9.
Wright County
Two county commissioner seats are open in Wright County this year according to the Secretary of State web site; the position currently served by Jack Russek of Delano (District 3), and the position served by Karla Heeter of Silver Creek Township, which is District 1 (primarily the Annandale area).
Heeter has said she will not re-file and has taken a job elsewhere. She was first elected to the board in 2003 to fill a half-term through 2004.
Filings were active, with several candidates stepping forward, including: Annandale Mayor Sam Harmoning, Rose Thelen of Clearwater, Trish Taylor of Annandale, Teri Lachermeier of Buffalo, Gerry “Gibby” Giebenhain of Maple Lake, Chris Klein, and Daniel Snabb.
Several candidates are also interested in Russek’s position for District 3, including Russek, former Delano mayor Jon Steinmetz, and Matt Walker of Buffalo.
Russek was first elected to the county board in 1992, and his current term expires Dec. 31, 2008.
Candidates for soil and water supervisor include Jaydee Jones, Mark McNamara, and Jerry Schirmers for District 2, Chris Uecker for District 4, and Lynne Cason and Duane Dahlman for District 5.
McLeod County
Three positions are open for county commissioner in McLeod County, those served by Ray Bayerl, who has re-filed; Bev Wangerin, who has also re-filed; and the seat being served by Chairman Grant Knutson for District 3, who did not re-file.
Filings for Knutson’s position, include Becky Felling, Doug Kenning, Marty Martin, Leroy Schmandt, Paul Wright, and former county administrator Nan Crary; all of Hutchinson.
Milan Plath of Hutchinson also filed for the District 5 seat currently served by Wangerin.
Soil and Water candidates include Joey Schuft for District 3, and Mark Schnobrich for District 5.
Carver County
Two positions are up in Carver County, those served by Tim Lynch of Mayer and Tom Workman of Chanhassen. The incumbents have re-filed, and Paul Neumann has filed for the District 4 seat currently served by Lynch.
Soil and water supervisor candidates include Ted Beise for District 1, Harlan Dobratz for District 2, and Bill Bohnen and Russell Schlegelmilch for District 3.
State representative seats open
This year also features several state representative seats open. State senate seats are not up for election.
For state representative in District 18A, incumbent Ron Shimanski of Silver Lake has filed, as has former Lester Prairie mayor Eric Angvall. District 18A includes all of McLeod County, plus Collinwood Township, Cedar Mills, and Cedar Mills Township in Meeker County.
Similarly, in District 18B, incumbent Dean Urdahl has filed, as has David Detert of Litchfield. District 18B includes the cities of Annandale, Cokato, Howard Lake, and South Haven, and the townships of Cokato, Corinna, French Lake, Middleville, Stockholm, and Southside in Wright County, and extends west into Meeker County.
The seat served by Tom Emmer of Delano is also up, with two candidates so far, Emmer, himself; and Christine Brazelton of Delano.
District 19B consists of communities in eastern Wright County and a small portion of western Hennepin County. These include the cities of Albertville, Delano, Hanover, Montrose, Otsego, Rockford, St. Michael, Waverly; and townships Franklin, Rockford, Victor, and Woodland.
In District 19A, incumbent State Rep. Bruce Anderson of Buffalo has filed, along with DFL challenger Jim Bakula of Monticello. District 19A includes: the townships of Albion, Buffalo, Chatham, Clearwater, Maple Lake, Marysville, Monticello, and Silver Creek; and the towns of Buffalo, Clearwater, Maple Lake, Monticello, and Silver Creek.
The seat served by State Rep. Paul Kohls, District 34A, is also up, with Kohls re-filing and Marcia Krueger of Norwood Young America challenging. District 34A consists of Hollywood Township and the City of New Germany.
Congressional seats open
All three local congressional seats are up for election, those served by John Kline (District 2), Michele Bachmann (District 6), and Collin Peterson (District 7).
Kline has re-filed for his seat, and he will be challenged by Steve Sarvi. Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District spans the width of the entire southern metro area and contains all of Carver, Scott, Le Seuer, Goodhue, and Rice counties.
Peterson has re-filed for District 7, and will be challenged by Glen Menze and Alan Roebke. This district encompasses a huge chunk of area that is west of the Twin Cities. At its eastern end, it includes voters in the townships of Winsted, Bergen, Hale, and Rich Valley; and the cities of Winsted and Lester Prairie.
For District 6, Michele Bachmann refiled, and Aubrey Immelman of Sartell, Bob Anderson of Woodbury and El Tinklenberg of Blaine have filed.
US District 6 includes a huge chunk of area that is northwest of the Twin Cities. At its southern end, it includes the townships of Cokato, Middleville, Marysville, Stockholm, Victor and Woodland; and the cities of Howard Lake, Waverly, Montrose, Delano and Cokato.
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