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Voters to choose next president and local leaders Nov. 8

By
Lori Sorenson

In addition to choosing the next president of the United States, local voters are tasked with important choices for city, county, school and township leadership.
 
Rock County Board
Mike Davis, rural Luverne, and Gary Overgaard, rural Magnolia, are on the ballot for the District 1 County Board seat currently held by Ken Hoime, who decided to retire. Candidates Don Bryan, Hardwick, and Kyle Hemme, rural Hardwick didn’t make the primary cut.
Greg Burger, Luverne, and Darrel Van Aartsen, rural Luverne, are on the ballot for the District 3 County Board seat currently held by Ron Boyenga, rural Ellsworth.
Boyenga lost a card draw to break a tie with Van Aartsen for second place in the primary. He is now campaigning for a write-in vote to keep his seat on the board.
Uncontested county candidates include Jody Reisch for re-election to the District 5 County Board seat, and Soil and Water Supervisors District 1, 3 and 4 Eugene Cragoe, Roger Hoff and Dave Esselink, respectively.
 
City of Luverne
Larry Lanphere and Daniel Nath are on the ballot for the Luverne City Council Ward 1 seat currently held by Esther Frakes, who is not seeking re-election. Lennis “Red” Arndt also ran in the primary but had the fewest votes.
Running uncontested for city offices are Patrick Baustian for re-election as Luverne mayor and Lori Hallstrom for Ward 2 City Council currently held by Eugene Marshall who is not seeking re-election.
 
School boards
In the Luverne School District, four people are seeking election to three open four-year seats on the board.
Incumbents Shelley Sandbulte and Colleen Deutsch filed, as did challengers Tim Jarchow and Kenny Rolling. Incumbent David Riphagen did not file for re-election.
In the Hills-Beaver Creek District, board members up for re-election this year are Amie Fick, James Kueter and Karin Moser.
Six people are seeking election to three open four-year terms on the board.
Fick and Moser filed for re-election to the board and are joined by four challengers, Blake Wysong, Beaver Creek; Tami Rauk, Beaver Creek; Kari Kueter and Tim Bosch, both of rural Hills.
In Adrian, four people are seeking election to three four-year seats on the board. Those seats are currently held by Mark Lonneman, David Bullerman and Lisa Kruger. Those three incumbents filed for re-election and are joined by challenger Keith Sieve.
Ellsworth also has three four-year seats that will be open for election. Current board members in those positions are Cliff Schilling, Jeff Boltjes and Mike Werner.
Boltjes filed for re-election and is joined by challengers Randy Buntjer, Rebecca Dreesen and Lindsay Jenniges.
 
Small cities
Candidates for mayor and council in small cities in Rock County are as follows:
In Steen, Mayor Mel Van Batavia and councilmen Marlin Elbers and Mark Kruger have filed for re-election with no challengers.
In Magnolia, Mayor Dennis Madison and council members Robert Somnis and Mary Smook all filed for re-election. Jeffery T. DeGroot also filed for council.
In Kenneth, Mayor Del Gangestad and councilman David Groen filed for re-election, and Paul Tweet filed for the seat that will be vacated by Nora Halverson who did not file.
In Jasper, Mayor Mike Baustian is running uncontested for re-election and council seats held by Lisa Rodman and Karen Damman are open for election.
Damman filed for re-election, and Marty Hilfers and Kim Lape are also seeking election to the Jasper council.
There is no race in the city of Hills, where Mayor Keith Elbers and councilman Brian Sandbulte filed for re-election. Ross Metzger filed for the seat held by Brad Berkhof, who did not file for re-election.
In Hardwick, there’s a race for mayor between incumbent Janyce Baustian and challenger Willy Baker.
Councilwomen Carey Teunissen and Crystal Swenson did not file for re-election, and Lowell Schelhaas and Richard Hubbling filed for those two open four-year seats. Tom Haas filed for the two-year seat.
In Beaver Creek, there’s a race for mayor between incumbent Jamie Dysthe and challenger Cathy Schroeder.
When Mayor Carolyn DeBoer passed away Sept. 16, 2015, councilman Dysthe was appointed mayor, and Josh Boomgaarden was appointed to Dysthe’s council seat.
No one filed for that open seat, but Boomgaarden indicated he would accept the position as a write-in candidate. Alan Harnack is running unopposed for re-election to another four-year term.
 
Townships
Battle Plain Township clerk Mark Vander Pol and supervisor Greg Talsma are running unopposed for re-election.
Denver Township clerk Richard Hubbling and chairman Kyle Hemme are up for election. Hemme filed for re-election, but no one filed to fill the clerk seat.
Vienna Township clerk Doug Eeten and supervisor Larry Tweet filed for re-election. Brian Jonas also filed for supervisor.
Rose Dell Township clerk Wayne Uilk and supervisor Elroy Deschepper are up for election in November, but no one filed for those seats.
Martin Township supervisor David Swanson’s seat is open. No one filed for that seat or for township clerk.
The Rock County townships of Springwater, Mound, Magnolia, Luverne, Beaver Creek, Clinton and Kanaranzi held elections in March.
 
State offices
At the state level, incumbent Bill Weber (R-Luverne), is seeking re-election to the State Senate District 22 seat with DFL challenger Brian Abrahamson, Luverne, also on the ballot.
Laura Woods of Luverne is challenging incumbent Joe Schomacker (R-Luverne) for election to the Minnesota House of Representatives District 22A.
 
U.S. Congress
At the federal level, DFL incumbent Tim Walz is facing Republican challenger Jim Hagedorn for the U.S. House District 1 seat. Those candidate profiles appear on Page 2A of this Star Herald.
 
Casting ballots
The general election is Nov. 8, but those voting absentee should plan well ahead of the postal service.
The state’s no-excuse voting reform began two years ago. It allows eligible voters to request absentee ballots be mailed. Mailed ballots must be returned to the local auditor’s office on or before Nov. 8.
Ballots arriving after Nov. 8 will not be counted.
Eligible voters can vote in person at the Auditor’s Office through the end of the day Nov. 7.
 
The General Election is Nov. 8. How do I learn about the candidates?
Readers can access all candidate profiles in contested local races on the Star Herald website, www.star-herald.com.
Link on the headline to this story, or click on link at the bottom of the home page, “Candidate Profiles.” The content will be available for all; no subscription is necessary.
That document will also include a sample ballot with polling location information.
The Rock County Auditor’s Office can be reached at 507-283-5060.
Also, election information is available on the Minnesota Secretary of State website, sos.state.mn.us.
Voters can access their personal ballots by clicking on “my ballot” and entering their addresses.

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