REGIONAL— North Country voters will head to the polls on Tuesday to cast ballots in a number of closely contested races at both state and local levels.
Nearly 550,000 Minnesotans have requested absentee or mail-in ballots, the lowest number since the 2014 midterm election, and about four times less than the 2.2 million during the COVID-impacted 2020 election.
State office contests
Topping the statewide ballot is the governor’s race between incumbent DFLer Tim Walz and Republican challenger Scott Jensen. Recent polls suggest this race is a virtual dead heat going into Election Day.
Attorney General Keith Ellison appears to be fighting an uphill battle against Republican Jim Schultz, who held a five-point edge over the DFL incumbent in the latest polls.
DFL Secretary of State Steve Simon looks to hold a slight edge over Republican candidate Kim Crockett.
Eighth District
Current Eighth District Representative and Republican Pete Stauber, first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, is matched up against four-term DFL Minnesota House member Jen Schultz. Leading election forecasters have pegged the district as being solidly Republican, but Schultz hopes voters will turn it back to DFL control.
State legislature
Four contested races for area Senate and House seats are on the line Tuesday.
Babbitt Mayor and Republican candidate Andrea Zupancich and Hermantown City Council member and DFL candidate Grant Hauschild will face off for the District 3 Senate seat formerly held by retired Sen. Tom Bakk.
The race for the District 7 Senate seat pits DFLer Ben DeNucci, of Nashwauk, against Hibbing Republican Rob Farnsworth.
In House Distrct 3A, DFL incumbent Rob Ecklund faces a challenge from Ely Mayor Roger Skraba, a Republican.
Virginia Republican Matt Norri hopes to wrest the House District 7B seat away from DFL incumbent Dave Lislegard, of Aurora.
County sheriff
In a three-way primary race, St. Louis County Undersheriff Jason Lukovsky and former Duluth and Wichita, Kan. police chief Gordon Ramsay won the right to be on Tuesday’s ballot. Ramsay polled strongest in the Duluth area in the primary, while Lukovsky performed well elsewhere. Part-time Moose Lake officer and gun shop owner Chad Walsh was the odd man out in August but has continued his campaign as a write-in alternative.
Mayoral races
With Skraba running for the legislature, Ely voters will choose between longtime council members Heidi Omerza and Paul Kess in that city’s mayoral race.
Orr will also choose a new mayor, with Rocky Hoffman and Robert “Bob” Antikainen running for the position.
Tower Mayor Dave Setterberg and Cook Mayor Harold Johnston are unopposed.
City council
In Orr, six candidates are vying for two seats on the city council, including Bruce Black, Ericka Cote, Joshua Gaskell, Jim Gray, Sean Luce, and Hannah Manick.
Cook voters will have to choose among Cook City Council members Jody Bixby and Kim Brunner and challenger Ivette Reing for two positions on the council. A separate special election to fill the term of former council member Karen Hollanitsch features Dave Danz, appointed to the council to serve in place of Hollanitsch until the election, and challengers Erin Danielson and Liza Root.
Three council seats in Ely and two in Tower have an equal number of contestants. Tower will have a special election for a third council seat with Tom Suihkonen and Joshua Zika squaring off.
Election day registration
Potential voters who have not yet registered may do so on Tuesday at their local polling place. To find your local polling place, go to mnvotes.gov and type in your address.
Same-day registrants must present proof of residence, which can be one of the following:
• A valid Minnesota driver’s license, learner’s permit, or ID; or a receipt for any of these.
• Tribal ID with name, address, photo and signature.
• A combination of an approved photo ID (may be expired) and a document showing a current address.
• A registered voter who goes with you to a polling place and vouches for your address.
• A college ID with a housing list.
• Valid registration in the same precinct.
• Notice of late registration.
• A staff person employed by a residential facility where you live who can vouch for your address.
For complete information on same-day registration, go online to https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/register-to-vote/register-on-election-day.