What’s on My Ballot in Lake County?

For first time and experienced voters alike, the election ballot can be confusing. What precinct am I? What does a Soil and Water Con­servation District Supervisor do and why should I care? Why are there all these parties I’ve never heard of?

The Minnesota ballot is two sided, and for voters unsatisfied with listed candidates, writing in their candidate of choice is always an option. You can find your polling location and district at https://pollfinder.sos.mn.gov/. All eligible, registered Minnesotans will have the opportunity to vote for a President and Vice President, and a yes/no vote on a Minnesota Constitutional Amendment. When voting on a Minnesota amendment, abstaining from voting is the same as voting no. In addition, all Lake County residents will vote for a senator. Candidates listed as “incumbent” are the current office holder. However, the other offices and candidates come down to which district the voter resides.

State Representative District 3A (Silver Bay, Beaver Bay, and parts of Two Harbors) have three candi­dates running for State Representa­tive: Republican Roger J. Skraba, Democratic Farmer Labor (DFL) Harley Droba, and Forward Party Independent Rich Tru. District 3B covers another part of Two Harbors, as well as Duluth, and has as State Representative candidates Repub­lican Natalie Zeleznikar and DFL Mark Munger.

County Commissioner Districts 2 and 5 each have only one candidate running for commissioner: Derrick “Rick” Goutermont for District 2, and Rich Sve for District 5.

All of Lake County will see Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor on their ballots. Only one candidate is running for each district (1, 4, and 5): David Abazs, Barbara Omarzu, and Douglas C. Haus, respectively.

There will be a mayoral election in Two Harbors and Silver Bay. Two Harbors only has one mayoral candidate, Lew Conner, but Silver Bay has three: Wade LeBlanc, Lo­gan Fischer, and Dean Floen.

In Two Harbors, city council members are being voted in for council member at-large (Rob­in Glaser), Ward 3 (Cathy Erick­son), and Ward 4 (Laura Osbakken Goutermont or Todd Redmann). City council for Silver Bay needs two at-large members, and the can­didates are Ben Bautch, James Fitz­Gerald, Alex Burcum, Brooks Mid­brod, and Erica Jensen.

All of Lake County will see can­didates for the Minnesota courts. Running for Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court are in­cumbent Natalie E. Hudson and Stephen A. Emery. Candidates for Associate Justice 6 on the Minne­sota Supreme Court Karl Procaccini (incumbent) and Matthew R. Han­son. There is only one candidate for Associate Justice 5, incumbent Anne McKeig.

In the Court of Appeals, Jona­than R. Woolsey is running against incumbent Diane B. Bratvold for Judge 12. The other judge posi­tions only have one candidate each: Judge 2, Jon Schmidt; Judge 3, Sar­ah Wheelock; Judge 4, Tracy Smith; Judge 6, Renee L. Worke; Judge 8, Keala Christian Eide; and Judge 14, Elise Larson.

In the 6th District Court, Gun­nar B. Johnson and Shawn Reed are running for Judge 6. As in the Court of Appeals, the other judge positions only have one candidate each: Judge 5, Michelle M. Ander­son; Judge 12, Nicole L. Hopps; and Judge 16, Jill A. Eichenwald. Again, though, many of these of­fices have the option for a write-in candidate.

School board elections will also be on the ballot for school board districts 3, 4, and 6. The District 3 candidate is Alan Ringer. District 4 is write-in only, and District 6 has the option of either Norbert Nor­man or Mark Broin.

Beaver Bay residents will be asked to vote for a Town Supervi­sor Seat B and a Town Clerk. The candidates are, respectively, Larry Ramsdell and Jennifer Ramsdell.

Crystal Bay residents have an election for Town Supervisor Seat A (Roger Peterson is the only can­didate), Town Clerk (again, only one candidate: Stacy Breden), and two special elections: Town Super­visor Seat A (candidates are Charles Cook and Michael Nikula) and Town Treasurer (candidate is Lise Abazs).

As you go into this election sea­son, take a few minutes to review your sample ballot at https://myballotmn.sos.mn.gov/. Voting is im­portant, and, in the words of former U.S. president Thomas Jefferson, “We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.”