Election results
by Trinity Gruenberg
As the days lingered, waiting for the final votes to be counted from the November 3 election, Joe Biden was declared president-elect on Saturday with 290 electoral votes to Trump’s 214. Alaska and North Carolina were leaning red and Georgia leaned blue as vote counting continued in those states.
Biden has received the most votes of any candidate in history with 70 million and still growing, breaking the previous record set by Barack Obama. Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris makes the nation’s first female and person of color as vice president.
Due to court order, absentee ballots will continue to be accepted by counties after election day, up to November 10, 2020, if the ballots were postmarked by election day. Most counties plan to update daily results as additional absentee ballots are accepted.
These were the results as of this past Thursday.
There were 3,588,350 registered voters in Minnesota. The Secretary of State estimated a 78 percent voter turnout, the highest since 2008. There are still outstanding absentee ballots: Todd 332, Wadena 400.
President and Vice President
Greater Minnesota elected for red, Minnesota stayed blue electing DFLer Joseph R. Biden and Kamala Harris with 1,711,773 (52.40%) votes, beating Republican Donald J. Trump and Michael R. Pence’s votes of 1,479,396 (45.28%). Libertarian Party Jo Jorgensen and Jeremy “Spike” Cohen received 34,800 (1.07%), Green Party Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker 9991, Independent Kanye West and Michelle Tidball 7918, Independent Brock Pierce and Karla Ballard 5665, Independence-AllianceRoque “Rocky” De La Fuente and Darcy Richardson 5597, Socialism and Liberation Gloria La Riva and Leonard Peltier 1252, Socialist Workers Party Alyson Kennedy and Malcolm Jarrett 690, with 9964 write-ins.
U.S. Senate
DFLer Tina Smith retains her seat with 1,561,867 (48.75%) edging out opponent Republican Jason Lewis who received 1,393,757 (43.50%). Legal Marijuana Now Kevin O’Connor received 189,310 (5.91%), Grassroots - Legalize Cannabis Oliver Steinberg 56,861 (1.77%) and there were 2278 write-ins.
District 7
Congressional Results
Republican Michelle Fischbach received 193,951 votes (53.40%) beating out long-time seat holder DFL’er Collin Peterson with 144,708 votes (39.84%). Legal Marijuana Now Slater Johnson received 17,693 (4.87%), Grassroots - Legalize Cannabis Rae Hart Anderson received 6,492 (1.79%) and write-ins received 367 (.10%)
District 8
Congressional Results
Republican Pete Stauber came out on top with 222,882 (56.85%) votes edging out DFLer Quinn Nystrom with 146,855 (37.46%). Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Judith Schwartzbacker received 22,051 (5.62%), and there were 235 write-ins.
District 9 Senate Race
Republican Paul Gazelka held on to his seat with 33,358 (75.58%) votes beating out challenger DFLer A. John Peters 10,738 (24.33%). There were 39 write-ins.
District 2 Senate Race
Republican Paul Utke won with 28,908 (65.12%) defeating DFLer Leonard Alan Roy who had 15,422 (34.74%). There were 61 write-ins.
District 9A Representative
Republican John Poston also held on to his seat with 16,305 (73.91%). DFLer Alex Herring received 5,728 (25.96%) and there were 29 write-ins.
District 9B Representative
Republican Ron Kresha held on to his seat with 16,852 (77.09%) votes to beat DFLer Laura Wright 4,979 (22.78%) and there were 29 write-ins.
District 2B Representative
Republican Steve Green won with 14,469 (66.24%), DFLer David Suby came in with 7,352 (33.66%) along with 23 write-ins.
Todd County
County Commissioners
District 1: Barbara Becker won unopposed with 2156 (98.63%). There were 30 write-ins.
District 2: Rodney Erickson, also unopposed, won with 1,706 (98.67%), and 23 write-ins.
District 5: Randy Neumann kept his seat with 2093 (71.53%), challenger Delvin Durheim received 830 (28.37%) and three write-ins.
Soil and Water Supervisor
District 2: Wayne Wendel won with 5846 (53.90%), Dean Meiners came in with 4942 (45.57%) and 58 write-ins.
District 4: Leland Buchholz won unopposed with 10,075 (99.31% ) and 70 write-ins.
Bertha
Bertha’s mayor had 99 write-in votes. Ken Nelson received 35, Bob Moller 13, and 26 other people received five votes or less. Council members elected were Paul Olson 152 (48.41%) and Karen Winkler 134 (42.68%) with 28 write-ins.
Browerville
Bob Heid remains mayor with 196 (67.35%). Council members elected were Angela Johnson with 187 (36.24%) and Alan Fenner 169 (32.75%). Ashley Welle came in close at 153 (29.65%). Seven write-ins.
Clarissa
Robert Gamache held on to his mayor seat with 176 (60.48%), Harland St. George Jr. received 89 (30.58%). There were 26 write-ins. Council members elected were Karin Nauber with 158 (28.57%) and Brent Line 122 (22.06%). Joshua Crider came in at 108 (19.53%), Jim Schnettler 100 (18.08%), James Kovarik 32 (5.79%, Dave Kreidler 29 (5.24%) and four write-ins.
Eagle Bend
John Chandler ran unopposed for mayor with 218 (95.20%) votes and 11 write-ins. Council members elected were Jessica Olson 170 (39.63%) and Jaculyn Lorentz 151 (35.20%) beating out John Rachuy 98 (22.84%). There were 10 write-ins.
Hewitt
Miles P. Wiirre “Smiley” narrowly won the mayor’s seat with 67 (51.15%) and incumbent Jim Opelia 64 (48.85%). Council members elected were Jennifer Crider 89 (42.38%) and Alexander Weego 65 (30.95%). Marietta May Matthews came in with 50 (23.81%) and six write-ins.
Long Prairie
Jodi A Dixon retained her mayorship with 632 (54.67%)beating challenger Jim Kreemer 518 (44.81%). There were six write-ins. Council members elected were David Wright 880 (57.86%) and Lilah M. Gripne 621 (40.83%). There were 20 write-in votes. The special election for two council members resulted in Bob Klick 724 (45.76%) and Datrick Mitchell 399 (25.22%) taking the positions, edging out Aaron Price 247 (15.61%) Brian Newville 198 (12.52%) plus 14 write-ins. And the answer to the question “Shall the city council be allowed to issue on-sale licenses to restaurants, clubs and hotels for the sale of intoxicating liquor at retail on Sundays?” was answered “Yes” 807 (70.17%) with 343 (29.83%) saying “No”.
Wadena County
County Commissioner
District 2: In a extremely close race, as of Thursday, Michael Weyer 762 (49.74%) narrowly edged out Brian Hagen 758 (49.48%). There were 12 write-ins.
District 4: Murlyn Kreklau won with 993 (70.68%), Curtis Kreklau, Jr. received 401 (28.54%), 11 write-ins.
Soil and Water Supervisor
District 4: Thomas (Tom) Schulz ran unopposed with 5985 (99.11%) and 54 write-ins.
District 5: Bruce Juntunen also ran unopposed with 5935 (99.31%) and 41 write-ins.
Verndale
Tara Erckenbrack is the new mayor with 229 (92.34%). There were 19 write-ins. New council members will be Daryl Jacobson 196 (48.28%) and Anthony Stanley 189 (46.55%). There were 21 write-ins.
Aldrich
Justin Genosky is the mayor with 16 (59.26%) beating Jesse Baugh 11 (40.74%). They were seeking two council members. Jeff Ludovissie 27 (79.41%) takes a seat and there were seven write-ins.
City clerk also received 11 write-ins.
Wadena
George M. Deiss retains his mayorship with 1674 (95.93%). There were 71 write-ins. Council members include Jessie Gibbs 1255 (45.50% ) and Wade Miller 1473 (53.41%). There were 30 write-ins.
Staples
Chris Etzler ran unopposed with 1212 (96.57%). There were 43 write-ins. Council members will be John M. Jewison 743 (28.90%), Douglas M. Case 929 (36.13%) and Mary Theurer 867 (33.72%). There were 32 write-ins.
School Boards
Bertha-Hewitt elected Sarah J. Baumgartner 1146 (34.92%), Matthew Blashack 1100 (33.52%) and Russell VanDenheuvel 990 (30.16%). There were 46 write-ins.
Browerville elected Keith Noska 1235 (34.29%), Kelly Callahan 1193 (33.12%) and Jodi Hillmer 1143 (31.73%). There were 31 write-ins.
Verndale elected Chris Youngbauer 662 (35.67%), Jeremy Schwartz 595 (32.06%) and Shyla Hess 576 (31.03%). With 23 write-ins. The special election winner was Tahna Rurup 756 (98.44%). There were 12 write-ins.
Wadena-Deer Creek elected Dan Lawson 2729 (34.71%), Barb Tumberg 2693 (34.25%) and Kent Schmidt 2415 (30.72%). There were 25 write-ins.
Staples-Motley elected Bryan Winkels 2646 (22.75%), Lisa Anderson 2488 (21.39%) and Jeremy Reeck 2527 (21.72%). Erich Heppner received 2044 (17.57%) and Greg Frisk received 1869 (16.07%) and 59 write-ins.
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle elected Linda Gohman 2274 (25.61%), Chuck Wolf 2167 (24.41%), Kelly Lemke 2260 (25.45%) and Stacy Lux 2006 (22.59%). There were 172 write-ins.