Here’s who’s running for local office in the 2022 primary and general elections ahead

Vote pin for american election — This May filing period was available to those seeking federal, state or county offices, along with city or school district offices in jurisdictions in which a primary election is possible. It began May 17 and ran through Tuesday, May 31.

By Dispatch staff report

June 03, 2022 03:30 PM

Following the closure of the two-week candidate filing period this week, area voters now know the list of people from which they’ll choose their federal, state and local representation later this year.

In local partisan races, eight Republican primaries and three Democratic primaries will take place Aug. 9. Ten nonpartisan races also attracted enough candidates to warrant a primary election. But two area election contests originally headed for the primary will instead be decided in November following the withdrawal of candidates.

In Senate District 10, DFLer Brent Krist withdrew, leaving Suzanne M. Cekalla as the sole DFL candidate. And in Crow Wing County Commissioner District 2, Stephen G. Olson bowed out, meaning Jon W. Lubke and Robin M. Sylvester will square off in November.

The DFL candidate who originally filed in House District 10A — Nancy Fetzek — also withdrew, leaving Republicans Ron Kresha and Charles “Chuck” Parins to battle it out in the primary to run unopposed in the fall, barring a write-in campaign.

This May filing period was available to those seeking federal, state or county offices, along with city or school district offices in jurisdictions in which a primary election is possible. It began May 17 and ran through Tuesday, May 31.

Candidates in cities and school districts where a primary does not occur may file Aug. 2-16.

More Election 2022 coverage

Primary races

The primary election in Minnesota will take place Aug. 9 to determine which candidates will be on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election.

In partisan primary races, the top vote-getter advances. In the nonpartisan races listed here, the top two vote-getters will advance.

7th Congressional District

Democratic Party — Jill Abahsain vs. Alycia R. Gruenhagen.

8th Congressional District

Democratic Party — John Munter vs. Jen Schultz.
Republican Party — Pete Stauber (incumbent) vs. Harry Robb Welty.

Senate District 2

Republican Party — Steve Green vs. Edward Strickland.

Senate District 5

Republican Party — Dale A. P. Anderson vs. Bret Bussman vs. Paul J. Utke (incumbent).

Senate District 7

DFL Party — Ben DeNucci vs. Kim (Kotanias) McLaughlin.

Senate District 10

Republican Party — Jim Newberger vs. Steve Wenzel vs. Nathan Wesenberg.

House District 5B

Republican Party — Sheldon Monson vs. Mike Wiener.

House District 6B

Republican Party — Josh Heintzeman (incumbent) vs. Doug Kern.

House District 10A

Republican Party — Ron Kresha (incumbent) vs. Charles “Chuck” Parins.

House District 10B

Republican Party — Blake Paulson vs. Isaac Schultz vs. John Ulrick.

Aitkin County

Commissioner District 3 — Travis J. Leiviska, Patrick Murphy, Don Niemi (incumbent).
Commissioner District 5 — Michael L. Kearney, Ann Marcotte (incumbent), Doug McNeil.

Cass County

Soil and water supervisor, District 5 — Jennifer O’Neill, Jon D. Osowski, Bob Wright.

Crow Wing County

Commissioner District 3 — Steve Barrows (incumbent), Tad A. Erickson, Keith M. Johnson, Jazz Ness, Jacob White.

Mille Lacs County

Sheriff — Patrick Broberg, Kyle A. Burton, Travis Johnson, Ryan VanDenheuvel.

Todd County

Commissioner District 4 — Nikki Deyle, Robert Henrich, Lew Noska.

Wadena County

Commissioner District 1 — Don Burns, Victor M. Kern, Ron Noon.
Sheriff — Mike Carr Jr. (incumbent), Jason Hofer, Milo Scott.

Brainerd

Council member, Ward 1, special election — William Bieser, Leonard D. Skillings, Kara Terry.
Council member, Ward 4 — Gabe Johnson (incumbent), Emily LeClaire, Johnathan Miller.

Contested races

These races offer voters a choice between at least two candidates in the general election. Those separated by slashes indicate a primary challenge yet to be determined.

7th Congressional District

Michelle Fischbach, Republican (incumbent) vs. Abahsain/Gruenhagen, Democrat vs. Travis “Bull” Johnson, Legal Marijuana Now.

8th Congressional District

Munter/Schultz, Democrat, vs. Stauber/Welty, Republican.

State senator

District 2 — Green/Strickland, Republican vs. Leonard Alan Roy, DFL.
District 5 — Anderson/Bussman/Utke, Republican vs. A. John Peters, DFL.
District 6 — Justin Eichorn, Republican (incumbent) vs. Steve Samuelson, DFL.
District 7 — DeNucci/McLaughlin, DFL vs. Robert Farnsworth, Republican.
District 10 — Suzanne M. Cekalla, DFL vs. Newberger/Wenzel/Wesenberg, Republican.

State representative

District 2B — Erika Bailey-Johnson, DFL vs. Matt Bliss, Republican (incumbent).
District 5A — Brian M. Hobson, DFL vs. Krista Knudsen, Republican.
District 5B — Gregg Hendrickson, Independence-Alliance vs. Monson/Wiener, Republican.
District 6A — Richard “Rick” Blake, DFL vs. Ben Davis, Republican.
District 6B — Sally Boos, DFL vs. Heintzeman/Kern, Republican.
District 7A — Spencer Igo, Republican (incumbent) vs. Julie Sandstede, DFL.
District 10B — Hunter Froelich, DFL vs. Paulson/Schultz/Ulrick, Republican.

Aitkin County

Commissioner District 3 — Leiviska/Murphy/Niemi.
Commissioner District 4 — Brian Napstad (incumbent) vs. Bret Sample.
Commissioner District 5 — Kearney/Marcotte/McNeil.
Recorder — Michael “Mick” Moriarty (incumbent) vs. Tara Snyder.
County attorney — Cindi Hills vs. James “Jim” Ratz (incumbent).

Cass County

Commissioner District 4 — Scott D. Bruns (incumbent) vs. Steve Erickson.
Sheriff — Chris Thompson vs. Bryan Welk.
Soil and water supervisor, District 5 — O’Neill/Osowski/Wright.

Crow Wing County

Commissioner District 2 — Jon W. Lubke vs. Robin M. Sylvester.
Commissioner District 3 — Barrows/Erickson/Johnson/Ness/White.
Commissioner District 4 — Rosemary R. Franzen (incumbent) vs. Troy Kenneth Scheffler.
Sheriff — Scott Goddard (incumbent) vs. Eric Klang.

Mille Lacs County

Commissioner District 2 — Dan Whitcomb vs. Timothy Wilhelm (incumbent).
Commissioner District 4 — Richard Savitski vs. Roger Tellinghuisen (incumbent).
Sheriff — Broberg/Burton/Johnson/VanDenheuvel.

Morrison County

Commissioner District 1, special election — Todd Krajsa vs. Mike LeMieur (incumbent).
Commissioner District 3, special election — Jeremy J. Pekula vs. Randy H. Winscher (incumbent).
Commissioner District 4 — Robert “Bobby” Kasper vs. Mike Wilson (incumbent).
Commissioner District 5 — Greg Blaine (incumbent) vs. René Krousey.

Todd County

Commissioner District 2 — Tim Denny vs. Gary A. Kneisl (incumbent).
Commissioner District 4 — Deyle/Henrich/Noska.
Sheriff — Mike Allen vs. Lonnie Marcyes.

Wadena County

Commissioner District 1 — Burns/Kern/Noon.
Commissioner District 3 — Gene Morthberg vs. Bill Stearns (incumbent).
Sheriff — Carr Jr./Hofer/Scott.

Brainerd

Council member at large — Jeff Czeczok; Justin Grecula.
Council member, Ward 1, special election — Bieser/Skillings/Terry.
Council member, Ward 4 — Johnson/LeClaire/Miller.

Uncontested races

These races will feature one candidate on the general election ballot.

House District 10A

Kresha/Parins, Republican.

Judges

7th District, Court 3 — Daniel A. Benson (incumbent).
7th District, Court 4 — Laura A. Moehrle (incumbent).
7th District, Court 18 — Michael D. Fritz (incumbent).
7th District, Court 19 — Johnathan R. Judd (incumbent).
7th District, Court 23 — Nathaniel D. Welte (incumbent).
9th District, Court 6 — Jerrod A. Shermoen (incumbent).
9th District, Court 8 — Eric Schieferdecker (incumbent).
9th District, Court 16 — Jeanine R. Brand (incumbent).
9th District, Court 17 — Corey A. Harbott (incumbent).
9th District, Court 20 — Donna K. Dixon (incumbent).
9th District, Court 23 — Kristine R. DeMay (incumbent).

Aitkin County

Commissioner District 1 — J. Mark Wedel (incumbent).
Auditor — Kirk Peysar (incumbent).
Treasurer — Lori Grams (incumbent).
Sheriff — Daniel Guida (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 1 — Thomas Fasteland (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 2 — Wayne Anderson (incumbent).

Cass County

Commissioner District 1 — Neal Gaalswyk (incumbent).
Recorder — Kathryn “Katie” M. Norby (incumbent).
County attorney — Benjamin T. Lindstrom (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 1 — Thomas Kuschel (incumbent).

Crow Wing County

County attorney — Donald F. Ryan (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 2 — Diane Jacobson (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 3 — Roger Waytashek (incumbent).

Mille Lacs County

County attorney — Joe Walsh (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 3 — Jake Janski (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 5 — Robert Hoefert (incumbent).

Morrison County

Commissioner District 2, special election — Jeffrey J. Jelinski (incumbent).
Auditor/treasurer — Chelsey Robinson (incumbent).
Recorder — Jennifer “Jenny” Sanders (incumbent).
Sheriff — Shawn D. Larsen (incumbent).
County attorney — Brian J. Middendorf (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 3 — Scott Saehr (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 4 — Dale Scholl (incumbent).

Todd County

Auditor/treasurer — Denise Gaida (incumbent).
Recorder — Kimberly Bosl.
County attorney — John Lindemann.
Soil and water supervisor, District 1 — Barb James.
Soil and water supervisor, District 3 — Dale Katterhagen (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 5 — Tom Williamson (incumbent).

Wadena County

Commissioner District 4 — Murlyn Kreklau (incumbent).
Commissioner District 5 — Jon Kangas (incumbent).
Auditor/treasurer — Heather Olson (incumbent).
Recorder — Tracy Myers Borchert.
County attorney — Kyra L. Ladd (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 1 — Kenneth Berg (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 2 — Brett Dailey (incumbent).
Soil and water supervisor, District 3 — No candidate filed.

Brainerd

Mayor — Dave Badeaux (incumbent).
Council member, Ward 2 — Kelly Bevans (incumbent).

By Dispatch staff report

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of "staff." Often, the "staff" byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

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