It’s primary election day in Minnesota. Here’s what lakes area voters need to know

Privacy booths are lined up for an election. — Polls for the primary elections open 7 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022.

By Dispatch staff report

August 09, 2022 at 5:00 AM

Voters head to the polls Tuesday, Aug. 9, to cast their ballots for primary election candidates.

The contests will determine which candidates will appear on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election, including those for governor and lieutenant governor, secretary of state and attorney general. Several local races also feature enough candidates to prompt a primary.

To find a polling place, view a sample ballot and more, visit mnvotes.org . One can enter their home address to see information specific to their voting districts. Polls are open 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

In partisan primary races, the top vote-getter advances. Partisan offices will list a political party next to a candidate’s name on the ballot. All state and federal offices — such as U.S. representative or Minnesota governor — are partisan offices.

Partisan candidates will be listed in multiple columns on the primary ballot. Each column will list the candidates for one major party. The major parties in Minnesota are the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, Republican Party of Minnesota, Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis and Legal Marijuana Now.

Voters may only vote for candidates from one political party. If voters vote for candidates from more than one political party, their votes will not count. Voters decide when they vote which one of the parties they will vote for — Minnesota does not have political party registration.

In nonpartisan races, the top two vote-getters will advance. Nonpartisan offices will not list a political party next to a candidate’s name on the ballot. County offices are nonpartisan.

Nonpartisan offices will be listed on the back side of the primary ballot. Voters may vote for any candidate.

Primary races

Governor and lieutenant governor

DFL Party — Ole Savior and Julia M Parker vs. Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan (incumbents).
Republican Party — Bob “Again” Carney Jr. and Captain Jack Sparrow vs. Joyce Lynne Lacey and Kent Edwards vs. Scott Jensen and Matt Birk.
Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party — Steve Patterson and Matt Huff vs. Darrell Paulsen and Ed Engelmann.
Legal Marijuana Now Party — James McCaskel and David Sandbeck vs. Chris Wright and L.C. Lawrence Converse.

Secretary of state

DFL Party — Steve Carlson vs. Steve Simon (incumbent).
Republican Party — Kim Crockett vs. Erik van Mechelen.

Attorney general

DFL Party — Bill Dahn vs. Keith Ellison (incumbent).
Republican Party — Sharon Anderson vs. Doug Wardlow vs. Jim Schultz.

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.

NOTE: House District 10A candidate Charles “Chuck” Parins and Brainerd City Council Ward 1 candidate Leonard D. Skillings previously stated they are no longer actively campaigning for election to those respective positions. However, their names will appear on the ballot Tuesday.

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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