While Minnesotans nominated their candidates for president during the primaries on Super Tuesday, a handful of townships in Crow Wing County opted to elect their local officials during Big Tuesday, March 10.
All in all, 10 townships — Crow Wing, Bay Lake, Center, Roosevelt, Maple Grove, Daggett Brook, Fairfield, Fort Ripley, Ideal and Rabbit Lake — took to the ballot box Tuesday, largely to elect township supervisors and clerks to three- and two-year terms in office respectively. Townships represent the oldest form of government in Minnesota, dating back to the establishment of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.
Two townships, Roosevelt and Rabbit Lake, did not respond to multiple requests for information by deadline Wednesday evening. The results of the election are listed as follows:
In Center Township, Leon Yeager was elected to a supervisor and Coralea Borden was elected clerk with 14 votes each.
In Bay Lake Township, Jon Steblay was elected supervisor with 34 votes and Carol Pundt was elected clerk with 36 votes. In total, 37 people voted during the election.
In Daggett Brook Township, Jim Barrett was elected supervisor with 25 votes, while Gretchen Nelson was elected clerk with 20 votes. RaeAnn Nelson received three votes for clerk. In total 25 people cast ballots Tuesday.
In Ideal Township, 64 voters backed David Peterson for supervisor, while one voter wrote-in John Plein and a further nine voters submitted blank ballots.
In Fairfield Township, Brian Glenz was elected to supervisor on 16 write-in votes, while David Galbraith received one write-in vote. Marianne Auge received 16 votes for township clerk.
In Crow Wing Township, Tucker Schuety was elected supervisor and Duane Ruona was elected clerk. Vote counts were not provided.
In Maple Grove Township, Bill Kronstedt was elected supervisor and Norene Warta was elected clerk with 16 votes respectively.
In Fort Ripley Township, Matt Lawrence was elected supervisor with 19 votes and Megan Lieser was elected clerk with 20 votes. Voters submitted three write-in ballots for supervisor and two write-in ballots for clerk.
