by Dennis Dalman
Absentee ballots for mailing are now available for the Tuesday, Aug. 9 primary election, and people can now also vote early in person via absentee ballot.
The early and absentee-ballot period opened June 24. (For more information on how to obtain and submit ballots by mail or in person, see end of this story.)
A primary election is a way for voters to choose which candidate(s) they favor to run for their party in the general election – in this case Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Some jurisdictions do not require primaries to compete for office. Locally, those include the Sartell-St. Stephen School Board. In that case, no matter how many people file for those positions, their names will be on the general-election ballot and, for example, if there are three openings the top three vote-getters (let’s say out of 10 names on the ballot) will be elected to those three positions.
West Sartell
The following are the candidates as listed on the Aug. 9 primary election in the polling places in west (Stearns County) Sartell. The ballots for voters in east Sartell and in St. Stephen will be the same as in west Sartell but with a few more choices, as noted below.
State Senate District 13
Republican candidates: Ashley Burg, Jeff Howe (incumbent)
One Democratic candidate: Alissa Brickman
Governor/Lieut. Gov.
(Vote for one team only)
Democrat-Farmer-Labor candidates are:
Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan, DFL (incumbents).
Ole Savior and Julia M. Parker, DFL
Republican candidates:
Scott Jensen and Matt Birk.
Joyce Lynne Lacey and Kent Edwards.
Bob “Again” Carney Jr. and Captain Jack Sparrow.
Third-party candidates are:
Darrell Paulsen and Ed Engelmann, (Grassroots Legalize Cannabis).
Steve Patterson and Matt Huff (Grassroots Legalize Cannabis).
Chris Wright and L.C. Lawrence Converse (Legal Marijuana Now).
James McCaskel and David Sandbeck (Legal Marijuana Now).
Secretary of State
Republican: Erik van Mechelen, Kim Crockett.
DFL: Steve Carlson, Steve Simon (incumbent).
State Attorney General
DFL: Bill Dahn, Keith Ellison (incumbent).
Republican: Sharon Anderson, Doug Wardlow, Jim Schultz.
East Sartell
Voters on Sartell’s east side (Benton County) will have the same ballot choices listed above, as well as a category for County Auditor/Treasurer. Those candidates (non-partisan) are Heather M. Bondus, Nadean M. Inman (incumbent), Sean Gitch, Christine Scherbing.
St. Stephen
In St. Stephen, voters will also vote for candidates running for U.S. Representative District 7. Those candidates are Michelle Fischbach, Republican; Democrats Jill Abahsain, Alycia R. Gruenhagen; and third party candidate Travis “Bull” Johnson (Legal Marijuana Now).
Absentee ballots
In Stearns County, one can apply for an absentee ballot by calling the Stearns County auditor-treasurer at 320-656-6621 or one can go online to get one at mnvotes.org.
In Benton County, call or go to the Benton County Elections Division in the government center at 531 Dewey St., P.O. Box 129, Foley, MN 56329. To request one by phone, call 320-968-5006. Another way to get an absentee ballot is to fill out an application online at https://www.mnvotes.org.
Be sure to read absentee-ballot directions carefully.
Voting in person
In Stearns County, there are two places at which to vote in person now and up to election day.
The Election Office at the Stearns County Service Center, 3301 CR 138, Waite Park. The hours are from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; and from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6 and from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8. On election day, Aug. 9, hours to vote are from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
Another place to vote early is at the new St. Cloud City Hall at 1201 Seventh St. S. (the former Tech High School building near Lake George). The hours are from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; and from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6 and from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8. Please note that all voters who live in Sartell (including east Sartell) can vote early at the new St. Cloud City Hall, mentioned above.
