There's important info on those cards for upcoming primary

Chisago County voters will be participating in primary balloting taking place August 14. There are two county commissioner districts that have more than one filing and require a primary ballot to narrow the field; and one city race, for the position of North Branch mayor, also has a primary. Some state and federal offices are also subject to primary voting to narrow the fields in those races. Primaries are: On the DFL side of the 8th congressional district race three people have filed to run against Congressman Chip Cravaack, who is seeking his second term. The DFL voters in the county will be asked to choose one from a list that includes Richard Nolan, Tarryl Clark or Jeff Anderson. The candidate who gets the most votes advances to run on the Democrat ticket against Cravaack, R-North Branch, for the honor of representing the 8th district in Washington D.C. The U.S. Senate race includes a primary to name a Democrat Party and a Republican Party candidate. Incumbent Amy Klobuchar, Jack Shepard, Dick Franson and Darryl Stanton will be on the DFL primary ballot for U.S. senate. Republican voters will be asked to choose a candidate from Bob Carney, jr, Kurt Bills or David Carlson. There are also two Independence Party names on the primary ballot who will run against the DFL and GOP candidates. The two Independence primary names are Stephen Williams and Glen Anderson Menze.

If you live in North Branch you will see a question asking you to vote for one of three candidates running for mayor-- Ron Lindquist, Kirsten Hagen Kennedy and Robert Winter. Incumbent Mayor Amy Oehlers is not seeking another term. The Chisago County Press provides free space for candidates to submit a filing statement to get their issues before the voters and none of these candidates submitted anything. North Branch is the only city in Chisago County that provides for a primary. Also, if you live west of the freeway in North Branch, within the newly elongated Commissioner District 5 (see map), or anywhere within this District 5--you will be selecting one from four who have filed for County Board. Candidates names you will see on your primary ballot are the incumbent Mike Robinson, Rick Smisson, Tim O’Keefe and Jonathan Glassel. The entire city of North Branch lies within a total of three county commissioner districts. The other two county commissioner districts are split by a boundary of Hwy. 95.

The area south of Hwy. 95 is County Commissioner Dist. 1. There are three candidates running for County Board in District 1; incumbent Lora Walker, Lyle Johnson and Darrell Trulson. (Also see county districts map). There are five county board districts but just #1 and #5 require a primary to narrow the field. Districts #3, #4 and #2 will also be on the ballot in November due to the every 10-year redistricting. The terms are staggered so the whole County Board does not go up for election again for another 10 years. Depending on where you live there are also going to be ballot questions for state races. State office territory boundary lines for state districts were redrawn after the 2010 census. Chisago County state office-holders are now serving Districts 32 and 39 with ‘A’ and ‘B’ areas additionally divided-out. State Senate In District 39 two are fighting for the only spot on the Republican ballot for state senate. If you are voting GOP and you live in the southeast corner of Chisago County-- you will choose between Eric Langness and Karin Housley. The November general election DFL ticket for this senate seat will carry the name of Julie Bunn.

A second senate seat that includes the central and northern portions of Chisago County, is District 32. This race is between Jeske Noordergraf DVM, of Sunrise, a DFLer and incumbent Sen. Sean Nienow, R-Cambridge and this race does not require a primary. MN House The House District 32B race in November will pit incumbent Rep. Bob Barrett against Rick Olseen, rural Harris, on the ticket for the DFL and no primary is needed in this. In filing, Barrett lists his address as Lindstrom, where he is currently renting a home. The statewide redistricting plan adopted for 2012 left Barrett’s former Shafer-area residence inside the boundaries of newly-drawn District 39A, where Bob Dettmer, Forest Lake, is the GOP candidate. Dettmer is now challenged by DFLer John Bruno, of Franconia Township. No primary balloting is needed for the contest for House District 32A. Candidates are are Paul Gammel of Stanchfield for the DFL and Brian Johnson for the Republican party. (See map.) The primary ballot is divided into partisan and non-partisan groupings. The ballot will instruct you when there is a DFL or Republican or Independent candidate selection that must be made. Local races are not held to political party affiliation.