Cities, township candidates named, primary results detailed

By MaryHelen Swanson
All four major cities in the Post Review readership area will hold elections this fall for leadership positions.
Beginning at the northern end, Rush City has three positions open and three candidates running.
Mayor Mike Skalsky is the only one who filed for the two-year mayor position. Likewise, councilmen David Bengtson and Jerry Janssen are the only ones who filed for re-election for their council seats.
While voters in Rush City will turn out for other election choices in November, they can still show support of their city officers by casting votes for these three candidates.
In Harris, a special election will be held to complete the two-year council term of David Christianson who passed away this year. Running for that seat is Donald M. Cardinal.
Richard Hanson, current mayor, is running unopposed for a second term.
Running for two council seats are Daniel Walton, incumbent, Douglas Payne and Kathleen Olson.
North Branch voters will see some new names on the ballot this year. Running for mayor, a two-year position, are Kevin B. Cramblit, Theresa Furman, Gloria Karsky and Don White. White has been a council member in the past.
Running for the two open council seats this year are incumbents Amy Oehlers and Larry Erickson, along with newcomers Kathy Blomquist, Dennis W. Erickson and Tim Ryan.
In Stacy, Mel Aslakson and Michael Carlson will vie for the mayorís position.
There will be a three-way race for two seats on the Stacy council as incumbents John Walz and Lee Schultz are joined by candidate John Daher in the Nov. 5 general election.
One township will hold its annual elections this fall for the first time.
Running for clerk of Nessel Township are incumbent Roger Eklund and resident Helen Leier. This is a four-year position.
A four-way race will provide interest as incumbent Tom McKenzie is joined by township residents Ray Henderson, David Christenson and Stan Iskierka for two supervisor seats, also four-year terms.
Additionally, Nessel Township residents will be voting on the question of whether the township should continue with its plan to construct a new garage. It will be a yes or no question.

Primary results

In last weekís primary election, 4,204 persons voted, with 265 of them being new registrants. The total number of registered voters at 7 a.m. Tuesday was 27,187. The city of Lindstrom precinct had the most voters with 445 while the city of Harris, precinct B had the least at 16.
The largest number of new registrants came from the city of North Branch south precinct.

County attorney race
Timothy Ryan and Katherine Johnson came out on top in the Chisago County Attorney race. Ryan came in first with 1,044 votes while Johnson garnered 884. Candidates Tim Peterson received 816, Stoney Hiljus 660 and Jesse Johnson 207.
Ryan is from Lindstrom and currently has a private law practice.
He was a former assistant county attorney with Chisago County.
The city of Lindstrom provided 154 of Ryans votes, while Chisago City voters cast 122, Chisago Lakes Township North 100, Chisago Lakes Township south 65, Franconia Township 67, Lent Township 54, City of North Branch north 51 and south 59. Wyoming township voters cast 98 votes for Ryan.
Johnson, a native of Rush City, is currently utilizing her legal expertise working for a private company. She lives in North Branch.
Johnsonís high vote areas included city of North Branch south 95, and north 79, Chisago City 55, Lent Township 60, Lindstrom 62, Sunrise Township 58 and Wyoming Township 67.
Commissioners race
District 1 voters chose newcomer Brian Greene as top choice with 364 votes, while Lora Walker came in close behind with 338. Incumbent Tom Delaney will not return to the board coming in with 278 votes.
Greeneís home township of Franconia cast 136 votes, Chisago Lakes Township north voters cast 108 votes, Lent Township 45 and the city of North Branch south 75.
Walker garnered 120 votes in Lent Township, 113 in city of North Branch south, 78 in Chisago Lakes Township north and 27 in Franconia Township.
Greeneís brother, Richard, did well in District 2 with 250 votes, but they were not enough to place him on the ballot for Nov. 5. Coming in first in this race was North Branch school board member Rick Olseen who garnered 297 votes. Incumbent Bob Vande Kamp slid into second place with only one vote less, 296. This should be an interesting race to follow.
Voters of city of North Branch north cast 124 votes for Olseen, while other top precincts included Amador Township 47 and Sunrise Township 82.
Vande Kamp received 107 votes from residents in the city of North Branch north, 50 from Sunrise Township, and 44 from Taylors Falls.

Other elections last week
Independence party voters cast the following votes:
U.S. Senator- W. McGaughey 60, J. Moore 77, R. Wills 23; State Rep. Dist. 17B- P.J. Richardson 120; Gov./Lt. Gov.-Dahn/Hanson 11, Penny/Robertson 210; SOS-Dean Alger 156; St. Auditor-D. Hutcheson 77, T. Paulson 83; Atty. Gen.- D. Bullock 75, D. nathan 83.

Republicans cast the following votes:
U.S. Senator-N.Coleman 1,490, J. Shepard 65; U.S. Rep. Dist. 8-W. Nelson 750, B. Lemen 572; St. Sen. Dist. 17- S. Nienow 1,157; St. Sen. Dist. 17A- R. Eastlund 125; St. Rep. Dist 17B- P. Nelson 1,227; Gov/Lt. Gov.-Davis/Wagner 157, Pawlenty/Molnau 1,301; SOS- M. Kiffmeyer 1,276; St. Auditor- P. Awada 1,001, J. Carlson 313; Atty. Gen.- S. Anderson 364, T. Kelly 1,046.
Democratic-Farm-Labor party voters cast the following votes:
U.S. Senator- Al Erickson 75, D. Franson 220, P. Wellstone 1,005; U.S. Rep. Dist. 8- J. Oberstar 2,123; St. Sen. Dist. 17- T. Ring 2,027; St. Rep. Dist. 17A- P. Sundberg 144; St. Rep. Dist. 17B- M. Abress 1,228, G. McMahon 876; Gov/Lt. Gov- Moe/Sabo 1,756, Savior/Lalone 366; SOS- 1,992; St. Auditor- G. Gray 581, G. Iverson 282, C. Johnson 1,181; Atty. Gen.- M. Hatch 2,089.

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