Local Election Results: Wadena County

U.S. Representative District 8

Republican Pete Stauber won with 188,070 (57.19%); DFLer Jen Schultz had 140,433 (42.71%); and 325 (0.10%) write-ins.

U.S. Representative District 7

Republican Michelle Fischbach wins with 204,770 (66.95%); DFLer Jill Abahsain had 84,454 (27.61%); Legal Marijuana Now Travis “Bull” Johnson with 16,421 (5.37%); and 226 (0.07%) write-ins.

State Representative District 5A

Republican Krista Knudsen won with 14,735 (70.49%); DFLer Brian M. Hobson had 6,159 (29.46%); and 10 write-ins.

State Representative District 5B

Republican Mike Wiener won with 13,680 (75.36%); Independence-Alliance Gregg Hendrickson had 4,422 (24.36%); and 50 write-ins.

State Senator District 5

Republican Paul J. Utke won with 28,732 (72.83%); DFLer A. John Peters had 10,688 (27.09%); and 32 write-ins.

County Commissioner District 1

Ron Noon 726 (75.47%); Don Burns 235 (24.43%). There was one write-in.

County Commissioner District 3

Bill Stearns 619 (70.50%); Gene Morthberg 256 (29.16%). There were three write-ins.

County Commissioner District 4

Murlyn Kreklau 1,185 (99.58%). There were five write-ins.

County Commissioner District 5

Jon Kangas 959 (98.06%). There were 19 write-ins.

Auditor/Treasurer

Heather Olson 4,852 (99.49%)There were 25 write-ins.

Recorder

Tracy Myers Borchert 4,677 (99.64%). There were 17 write-ins.

Sheriff

Mike Carr (JR.) 4,254 (72.71%); Milo Scott 1,591 (27.19%). There were six write-ins.

County Attorney

Kyra L. Ladd 4,599 (98.40%). There were 75 write-ins.

Soil and Water Supervisor District 1

Kenneth Berg 4,727 (99.64%). There were 17 write-ins.

Soil and Water Supervisor District 2

Brett Dailey 4,770 (99.64%). There were 17 write-ins.

Soil and Water Supervisor District 3

The Write IN’s for Soil and Water Conservation District 3 totaled 282. The only person on the election judge's list was Jeremiah (Jerry) Joseph Kern.

Aldrich

Mayor: Vanessa Waldahl 18 (78.26%); Justin Genosky 5 (21.74%)

Council Member: Faye Baugh 18 (100.00%).

City Treasurer: Linda Huisenga, 10 write-in votes.

Bluffton

Mayor: Timothy Pavek 83 (96.51%). There were three write-ins.

Council Member: Anthony Kassa 84 (98.82%). There was one write-in.

Council Member (Elect 2): Mary Lou Carlson 76 (52.41%); Brian Nesland 69 (47.59%)

Menahga

Mayor: Elizabeth “Liz” Olson 329 (60.26%); Karen Candelaria 213 (39.01%). There were four write-ins.

Council Member (Elect 2): Jody Bjornson 404 (47.92%); Mike Netland 336 (39.86%); Art Huebner 94 (11.15%). There were nine write-ins.

Sebeka

Mayor: David A. Anderson 123 (50.83%); Edmund Fennig 116 (47.93%). There were three write-ins.

Council Member (Elect 2): Michael Grewing 140 (36.08%); Josh Connor 127 (32.73%); Mitch Hanson 117 (30.15%). There were four write-ins.

Verndale

Mayor: Tara Erckenbrack 173 (93.51%). There were 12 write-ins.

Council Member (Elect 2): Jim Runyan 123 (33.79%); Brad Cottrell 119 (32.69%); Ardith Carr 115 (31.59%). There were seven write-ins.

Wadena

Mayor: George M. Deiss 1,174 (96.31%). There were 45 write-ins.

Council Member (Elect 2): Dan Sartell 1,115 (58.81%); Mark Lunde 768 (40.51%). There were 13 write-ins.

Question: Shall the City of Wadena, Minnesota be authorized to impose by ordinance a local sales and use tax of one-quarter of one percent (0.25%) to finance the Wadena Library Rehabilitation Project? An affirmative vote would impose the tax until a total is raised of $3,000,000 (plus associated bonding costs including securing and paying debt on bonds issued to finance the project) or for 20 years, whichever comes first.

NO 797 (55.77%); YES 632 (44.23%).

School Boards

Verndale

School Board Member (Elect 3): Scott Veronen 503 (38.46%); Tahna Rurup 371 (28.36%); 434 write-ins.

Sebeka

School Board Member (Elect 4): JoAnn Olson 907 (23.82%); Kayla Frame 834 (21.90%); Nate Erickson 825 (21.66%); Cheri Kangas 670 (17.59%); Russell Johnson 564 (14.81%). There were eight write-ins.

Menahga

School Board Member (Elect 3): Andrea Haverinen 1,150 (29.39%); Katie Howard 1,113 (28.44%); David Treinen 972 (24.84%); Dan Gaughan 642 (16.41%). There were 36 write-ins.

Bertha-Hewitt

School Board Member (Elect 4): Jean Ashbaugh 798 (21.29%); Sharon Thiel 759 (20.25%); Keith Bauch 736 (19.63%); Janelle Bright 735 (19.61%); Kim Gavin 605 (16.14%). There were 116 write-ins.

Wadena-Deer Creek

School Board Member (Elect 3): Melissa Seelhammer 1,965 (27.44%); Julie Bushinger 1,661 (23.20%); Brandon Kern 1,395 (19.48%); Ryan Damlo 1,183 (16.52%); Kyle Lehmkuhl 947 (13.22%). There were 10 write-ins.

Staples-Motley

School Board Member (Elect 3). Kyle Reese 2,279 (23.46%); Chandler Trout 1,906 (19.62%); Ryan Wright 1,651 (16.99%); Erich J. Heppner 1,614 (16.61%); Bruce Drone 1,202 (12.37%); Shelly DeCamp 1,006 (10.35%). There were 58 write-ins.

Question: The board of Independent School District No. 2170 (Staples-Motley) has proposed to renew its existing referendum revenue authorization of $173.06 per pupil which is scheduled to expire after taxes payable in 2023. The proposed referendum revenue authorization would be applicable for ten years beginning with taxes payable in 2024 and increase each year by the rate of inflation beginning with taxes payable in 2025 unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law. Shall the increase in the revenue proposed by the board of Independent School District No. 2170 be approved?

NO 2,351 (56.49%); YES 1,811 (43.51%).