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Com TW NOw News 2024

Vote Distribution 2024: Races, Candidates and Questions
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Vote Distribution 2024: Races, Candidates and Questions

(KNSI) – The presidential race is getting all the attention this year, but voters still have a number of other decisions to make on Election Day.

At the federal level, a race is underway across the U.S. Senate between three-term Democrat Amy Klobuchar and Republican candidate Royce White. There are two congressional races in the region. Incumbent District Six Congressman, Republican Tom Emmer, is seeking a sixth term against Democratic candidate Jeanne Hendricks. In District Seven, Republican Michelle Fischbach is asking voters for a third term over Democrat AJ (John) Peters.

Although the Minnesota Senate is not up for election this year, every member of the House of Representatives is. There are four key races to keep an eye on in central Minnesota. In District 13A, House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth is running for her fourth term against Democrat Cindy Aho. In the 13B House race, seven-term Republican Tim O’Driscoll faces Democrat Dusty Bolstad. In District 14A, Republican Bernie Perryman is seeking a second term. She is being challenged by Democrat Abdi Daisane. In District 14B, Democrat Dan Wolgamott hopes voters will send him back to St. Paul for a third term against Republican challenger Sue Ek.

At the county level, Stearns County residents will have to decide whether to use a 3/8-cent sales tax to cover the cost of a $325 million criminal justice center. The county has outgrown its old facility. If the sales tax is not approved, property taxes will be used to cover the costs. Commissioner Joe Perske wants to keep his seat against Jerry Theisen in Stearns County District Two. The area includes the townships of Brockway, Wendel and Le Sauk and the towns of St. Joseph and Sartell.

Several cities have key elections, including St. Cloud, which is about to elect its first new mayor in two decades. City council members Jake Anderson and Mike Conway face off during the vote. They want to replace Mayor Dave Kleis, who announced earlier this year that he would not seek a sixth term. There are also three at-large council seats up for grabs. Running for a spot are incumbent George Hontos and newcomers Omar Abdullahi Podi, Scott Brodeen, Mark Johnson, Hudda Ibrahim and Tami Calhoun.

Sartell has two council seats up for grabs between Rustin Deters, Marshall Grams and Pat Lynch. Sauk Rapids is looking to replace Mayor Kurt Hunstiger after announcing he would resign after 30 years with the city. His successors are councilor Jason Ellering and Nick Sauer. In the Waite Park mayoral race, council members Mike Lindquist and Ken Schmitt hope to replace longtime Mayor Rick Miller, who decided not to serve another term. In St. Joseph, three people are running for mayor. They are Jon Hazen, Robert Loso and Adam Scepaniak. The St. Joseph City Council race has three candidates seeking to fill two seats. They are Kelly Beniek, Troy Goracke and Adam Schnettler.

St. Cloud Area School District 742 has seven candidates running for four open seats. They are incumbent Scott Andreasen, Yoanna Ayala-Zaldana, incumbent Al Dahlgren, Diana Fenton, incumbent Shannon Haws, Bruce Hentges and incumbent Monica Segura-Schwartz. Sartell-St. Stephen Schools will choose three candidates from a pool of six. They are Aaron Alexander, Michael Gruber, incumbent Tricia Meling, incumbent Matthew Moehrle, Michael Ringstad and Chelsea Thielen. Sauk Rapids-Rice has five candidates running for four open seats. They are NiCole JH Broman, Ryan Butkowski, Samantha Dwyer, Mark Hauck and Tracy Morse.

St. Cloud voters must decide on two ballot questions. One seeks approval to use property taxes to build a sixth fire station in the underserved neighborhood around Tech High School. The building will cost $43.5 million and will be paid for over twenty years. It would cost the average homeowner $9 per month. Voters also have the option to change when municipal elections are held. A ballot question asks whether voters would like to move St. Cloud’s local elections to odd years instead of the current even-year schedule. Outgoing Mayor Kleis made the proposal during his State of the City address, believing it would draw more attention to local races.

A statewide ballot question asks voters to continue a constitutional amendment that uses 40% of lottery winnings to support the outdoors, such as land for parks, recreation areas and habitats, water resources and environmental education. Since its initial approval in 1991, more than $1 billion has been used to fund more than 1,600 projects

The general election is on November 5 and absentee voting is already underway.

See what’s on your ballot by clicking here.

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