Elections 2026
- October 07, 2026Star Media Videos: All videos can be found on YouTube. Luverne City Council South Ward Candidate Forum Rock County Commissioner, District 3, Candidate Forum Rock County Sheriff Candidate Forum 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Luverne Charter Amendment Forum Rock County Commissioner, District 2, Candidate Forum Rock County Commissioner, District 4, Candidate Forum Polling…
October 07, 2026There are five candidates seeking election to four open seats on the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board. They are incumbents Travis Helgeson, Ethan Rozeboom and Eric Uittenbogaard and challengers Dalton Engelkes and Stan Metzger. Dalton Engelkes Tell us about your family. My name is Dalton Engelkes. I am married to Sarah and we have been married for 17 amazing years. We have four children…
September 30, 2026Five candidates are seeking election to four seats on the Luverne School Board. They include three incumbents, Michael DeBates, Zach Nolz and David Wrigg, and two challengers, Sara Bolt and Anita Marden. Sara Bolt Tell us about your family. My husband, Chris, and I have two children who are currently in kindergarten and second grade. We also own and operate Bolts Turf Care here in Luverne. …
September 24, 2026Watch the video below or use the links below to jump to specific sections of the video.
By Nicole RonchettiSeptember 23, 2026Luverne voters will be asked in the Nov. 3 general election if they support an amendment to their city’s government charter regarding public utilities. If adopted, it would transfer municipal utilities powers and responsibilities from the city council to a “Municipal Services Commission.” On Sept. 15 the Luverne Area Chamber hosted a public forum in a crowded Palace Theatre to address questions…
September 23, 2026Two candidates are on the ballot for Rock County sheriff — incumbent Matthew Sorenson and challenger Jeff Stratton. Matthew Sorenson Tell us about your family. My wife, Lori, and I live in Springwater Township where we have a small farming operation. Our children include Alexx Sorenson (and family in Edgerton), Jonathan Ehde (and family in Luverne) and the late Carson Ehde, whose loss in 2022…
September 23, 2026The Rock County Board of Commissioners’ fourth district has two candidates running: incumbent Sherri Thompson and challenger Pat Saum. Sherri Thompson Tell us about your family. I am married to Bill Thompson, who recently retired after 34 years of teaching at Luverne Middle and High School. We have two children, Brent and Susan, both of whom have said they are grateful to have grown up in…
September 16, 2026Join moderator Scott Marquardt, Executive Director of the Southwest Initiative Foundation, as he leads a forum on the proposed public utilities commission charter amendment. This forum was held Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at the Palace Theatre in Luverne, Minnesota, with Isaac DeBoer, Lori Hallstrom and Sheryl Staeffler representing the Charter Amendment Committee and Barb Berghorst, Mert…
September 10, 2026Watch the video below or use the links below to jump to specific sections of the video.
By Nicole RonchettiSeptember 09, 2026Alongside statewide and local races on the ballot this November, Minnesotans will also answer an important question asking if they want to increase funding for local school districts – without increasing taxes. With unanimous bipartisan support, a ballot question was added to ask voters if they would like to increase disbursements from Minnesota’s Permanent School Fund from 2.5% to 4.5%. “This…- September 02, 2026Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison last week joined a coalition of 25 states in filing a lawsuit against the United States Postal Service (USPS) challenging its new rule that purports to grant USPS the authority to regulate mail voting in elections. On Aug. 27, a federal judge in Massachusetts temporarily blocked the USPS from enforcing rules that would have required states to overhaul…
By Lori SorensonAugust 26, 2026Rep. Brad Finstad of Minnesota’s First Congressional District was in Luverne Monday as part of southwest Minnesota roundtable discussions with local leaders about issues impacting their communities. In Luverne he met with members of the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System and Rock County Rural Water for a roundtable discussion to discuss their ongoing expansion projects. Finstad pledged…- By Jason BerghorstAugust 19, 2026With the Aug. 11 primary in the rearview mirror, attention has turned to the Nov. 3 general election, which presents several contested races for Rock County voters. Depending on where voters live, local ballots will include the following candidates this fall. County offices There three contested races for county officials on the fall ballot. All Rock County voters will have an…
- By Jason BerghorstAugust 19, 2026Following the Aug. 11 Primary Election, the list of major-party candidates for local, state, and federal offices on the Nov. 3 ballot are set. Rock County voters will decide between the following Democratic- Farmer-Labor (DFL) and Republican party candidates in the fall election. Federal offices For the office of U.S. Senator from Minnesota, voters will choose between Democrat Peggy…
- By Jason BerghorstAugust 19, 2026Rock County residents joined voters from across Minnesota to cast ballots in the 2026 Primary Election on Tuesday, Aug. 11. In addition to voting in the partisan primaries, some voters had local races to decide on. In District 3 for the Rock County Board of Commissioners, voters elected Rick Peterson to fill the seat vacated by Greg Burger who moved from the county earlier this year. …
By Nicole RonchettiAugust 14, 2026Rick Peterson won the special election for Rock County’s District 3 and is set to join the county board of commissioners early next week. Peterson, who retired last month as Star Herald general manager, garnered 259 votes compared to Deon Carriere’s 103. While he tried to follow results as they were coming in, Peterson said he and his wife were on a drive when he found out that he’d won the…
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