Minnesota’s primary election is drawing near, Tuesday, Aug. 14, which will give voters a chance to narrow the field of candidates in several races, including the presidential race, and both the state and federal Senate and House races.
At the state and federal level, the purpose of the primary election is to select a party’s candidate to run in the general election. At the local level, which consists of elections that are considered non-partisan, voters narrow a field of candidates to two.
Locally, voters in the newly formed Wright County District 1 have five choices, including two candidates from Annandale. In District 2, four candidates, including two incumbents, Rose Thelen and Pat Sawatzke, will be seeking enough votes to move on to the general election.
District 1 includes the townships of Albion, Buffalo, Chatham, Corinna, Southside and the cities of Annandale, Buffalo and South Haven. District 2 covers the cities of Clearwater, Maple Lake and Monticello and the Townships of Clearwater, Maple Lake, Monticello and Silver Creek. District 5 includes the Cities of Cokato, Delano, Howard Lake, Montrose and Waverly and the Townships of Cokato, Franklin, French Lake, Middleville, Stockholm, Victor and Woodland.
Dick Mattson is running as the incumbent in District 5 and faces the following seven opponents: Larry Bartels, Delano: Charlie Borrell, Waverly; Tom LaPlant, Buffalo; Vickie Nibbe, Howard Lake; Paul Schoborg, Delano; Dan Vick, Delano; and Leonard Wozniak, Cokato.
Annandale area residents will vote from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Annandale City Hall. Primary voters may cast their ballot for only one candidate, and there can be no write-ins. While primary elections typically have low turnouts, the race with all newcomers in District 1 may draw a larger than usual turnout.
"What I’ve been hearing – they’re saying it’s going to be a pretty good turnout this year but this is only is my second primary," said head election judge Julie Weiers, city of Annandale. "My experience has been that the primary is a lower turnout than the general election."
District 1 candidates
■ Thomas Huffman, Annandale, has three children, four grandchildren and is a self-described constitutionalist, advocate, patriot, veteran, problem solver, real estate broker, business man, oath keeper, father and grandfather. And while he does not have formal experience holding public office, Huffman has dabbled in lobbying and became the vice president of the Bass Lake Association last year.
If elected in District 1, Huffman said he would focus on how and where the county is spending its money because he believes deep cuts are still needed.
■ Chris Husom, Buffalo, is running her campaign on three core values that describe the type of commissioner she plans to be if elected: "accountable, business-minded and conservative."
Husom, who grew up in Buffalo, has four kids and will be celebrating her 40th wedding anniversary with husband Dan later this year. Husom’s priorities, if elected include property taxes and seeking ways to give the local economy a boost and help it out of the recession.
One of the ways she says the economy could find relief is by encouraging more manufacturing to locate operations in the county because it would create jobs and help local businesses because putting people back to work will encourage them to start spending again.
■ Former Buffalo Mayor Fred Naaktgeboren is a 1960 Annandale High School graduate and was born and raised on his family’s farm in Corinna Township. He and his wife Jan still call Buffalo home and they have two grown daughters and four grandchildren.
Naaktgeboren said Wright County is a great place to live, work, and play. He noted that the new District 1 is a unique blend of rural and urban communities, with beautiful lakes, growing populations, and thriving businesses.
When asked about what he brings to the board that may be needed, he said, "I think governing is about the future and I think the current board is a little short on some of that thinking because they seem to be fighting the same battles over and over."
■ Duane Olson, Buffalo, says his campaign mantra is simply, "I will work for you." But if there was anything he would add to that phrase, it would be "and listen."
Olson is married to wife Carol Elliott Olson and he is the father of four grown children and has seven grandchildren. Olson retired about a year ago and said he feels it is now time for him to use the skills he has honed throughout his career to give something back to the community.
If elected, Olson says his biggest concerns would be to cut the fat from Wright County’s budget, preserving the local environment and addressing high property taxes.
■ Dan Snabb, Annandale, says he considers himself to be a "common person" with many of the same concerns about health care, senior care and the local economy as other Wright County residents. And it is at the prompting of community members that Snabb said he decided to run for a Wright County Commissioner seat in the newly formed District 1.
When asked why he would like to represent District 1 on the Wright County Commission, Snabb said, "I’ve been asked to because people are concerned about senior care, the lakes in the area, farm fields and drainage ditches."
He added that the ditches are a major concern for him because drainage systems desperately need attention and are affecting area farms and roads. Snabb said he would also like to see improvements for seniors and parks and recreation to ensure that kids have adequate facilities to stay active. Snabb added that there is a need for better health care access for seniors and veterans as well.
District 2 race
Redistricting and the decision of two incumbents to bow out this time around have pitted two of the remaining incumbents against each other while opening opportunities for three newcomers to step in.
Rose Thelen, Clearwater, is running for re-election but this time, she will be running in District 2 instead of District 1. That’s because the new district map boundaries place her in the same area now served by Commissioner Pat Sawatzke, District 2. That leaves District 1 without an incumbent.
Thelen is also the 2012 board chair and she may be facing an uphill battle after being displaced in the redistricting shuffle from a District 1 where she has strong ties, into a new District 2 already being served by longtime incumbent Pat Sawatzke of Monticello who is also seeking re-election.
Thelen and Sawatzke are not alone in their District 2 bid, however. The two incumbent commissioners face Joseph Doyle, Monticello, and Barry Kukowski, Clearwater, in the Aug. 14 primary.
No primary in Stearns
A primary is not needed in Stearns County where Dewayne Mareck and Mark Bromenschenkel are running unopposed in Districts 1 and 2 respectively; Jeffery Mergen faces Chad Middendorf in District 3; and Darrell Bruestle and Leigh Lenzmeier face off in District 4.
In the Stearns County Watershed District races, the following candidates are running: Lawrence "Larry" Salzer faces Matthew Skwira in District 2 and running unopposed are David Weller in District 3 and David Brinkman in District 4.
Absentee voting
Voters are reminded that they may cast absentee ballots if they are unable to get to the polls for the state primary election Tuesday, Aug. 14. Absentee ballots must be completed and returned on or before Aug. 14 to be counted for the primary.
"The Aug. 14 primary is less than two weeks away and if a voter knows that they will be unable to make it to their polling location on Election Day there is still time to vote absentee," said Secretary of State Mark Ritchie.
Eligible Minnesota voters can vote by absentee ballot either by mail or in person for one of the following reasons:
■ Absence from the precinct – away from home on Election Day
■ Illness or disability
■ Serving as an election judge in another precinct
■ Religious discipline
To vote absentee in person, voters must go to their county auditor’s office during regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday until Friday, Aug. 10, between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sat., Aug. 11, or until 5 p.m. on Aug. 13.
Residents in the cities of Albertville, Buffalo, Delano, Monticello and St. Michael must cast absentee ballots at their respective city offices. All other Wright County residents may go to the Wright County Government Center at 10 Second Street Northwest in Room 230 to cast absentee ballots.
An election official can provide those not registered to vote with a registration form to complete along with absentee ballot materials. To successfully register, voters must show proof of residence.
In Wright County, Auditor-Treasurer Robert "Bob" Hiivala is the local election judge and Gloria Gooler is the absentee voter clerk. Hiivala’s number is 763-682-7579 and Gooler’s phone number is 763-682-7873.
Voters who choose to vote absentee by mail can download and print an absentee ballot application on the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State’s one-stop election information website www.mnvotes.org. More information may also be found on the Wright County website, www.co.wright.mn.us under "voting and elections."
Upon receipt of your application, election officials will send you a ballot by mail to complete. Absentee voters who wish to track the status of their ballot to ensure their ballot is counted should use the Absentee Ballot Lookup at www.mnvotes.org.
Absentee voting information for military and overseas voters is available at https://minnesota.overseasvotefoundation.org.
"Voters in the state primary choose the candidates that will be on the general election ballot on Nov. 6," Ritchie said. "Have a voice in our democracy and exercise your right to vote by casting a ballot in the state primary on Aug. 14."
Besides the presidential contest and the bids for House and Senate seats on the state and federal levels, the following local positions will also be on the ballot in November: County Commissioners; City Officers; School Board; and Township Officers.
Election 2012 schedule
■ Aug. 11: extended absentee voting hours for Primary Election, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
■ Aug. 13: extended absentee voting hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
■ Aug. 14: state primary election, voting hours are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
■ Sept. 21: absentee ballots available for state general election
■ Nov. 3: extended absentee voting hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
■ Nov. 5: extended absentee voting hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
■ Nov. 6: state general election voting hours are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.