November 11, 2022 at 11:38 a.m.
Election results put county firmly in red zone
Not so clear-cut was the outcome of the new County Board District race for the city of North Branch.
A handful of votes seperate the top two finishers, Jim Swenson and Tim MacMillan, and a recount could be likely. The newly-drawn local district has three precincts A, B and C and MacMillan won B and C and Swenson took precinct A. Totals were 1,882 for MacMillan and 1,899 for Swenson.
Swenson gave up his chance for re-election to the mayor post to run for the new county commissioner opening. There were several candidates vying to fill the mayor’s chair.
Kevin Scheiber got 1,293 votes to apparently win. (Tallies are not certified as of presstime.) Mark Schloer got 762, Lorraine Moeller got 712 and Kelly Neider, still on the city council with time left on her term of office, got 1,010.
The North Branch City Council has two new members seated with Travis Miles garnering 2,001 votes and Peter Schaps 1,744. Robert Canada, appointed several months ago to fill Amanda Darwin’s vacated council seat, was not challenged in his special election. Interestingly, there were 76 write-ins for the council. Finishing out of contention, candidate Evelyn Broome received 1,485 votes.
Lindstrom City Council was seating two, and the race for the top vote-getters couldn’t have been much closer. Judy Chartrand ended up with 1,094 and Brian Norelius appears to have won the second seat with 1,091. Lindstrom Mayor Kevin Stenson was unopposed. Candidates Katie Werman Roche got 868 and incumbent Bill Schlumbohm 389.
In Stacy the incumbent Mayor Mark Utecht was returned to office but two council seats appear to be unfilled. Nobody filed to place their name on the ballot, and there were no write-in names released by election officials. The mayor vote was Utecht 317 and challenger Matthew Laqua 215 votes.
In Chisago City longtime officeholder Bob Gustafson was opposed for mayor by Travis Petsche. Gustafson was re-seated with 1,424 to 640 for his challenger.
Two council members were seated, incumbent Craig Meyer with 1,049 and Nikki Battles with 1,089 votes.
Third candidate Toby Peterfeso got 639.
Elsewhere, Shafer, Wyoming, Harris and Center City, for example, it was mostly incumbents running or single newcomers with no opposition. In Taylors Falls the incumbent Mike Buchite retired from politics and Brandon Weiberg ran for mayor unopposed. His 2023 council will welcome new members Tim Grote and Lee Samuelson, joining Larry Julik Heine and Troy Aanonsen. Grote got 267 and Samuelson 229 votes respectively. Long-serving members MaryJo Murphy and Ross Rivard did not seek re-election.
Lent Township held a supervisor election during the General Election on Tuesday, which is different. from most of the other townships. Incumbent Jess Eischens was defeated by Jeffrey Barrett 668 to 465. Brian Seekon and Troy Nelson had no challengers for their township offices.
For the national race for Congressional Dist 8 incumbent Pete Stauber won with about 57 percent of the vote districtwide over Jen Schultz. In Chisago County’s precincts it was more like 65 percent for Stauber and 34 percent supporting Schultz.
State office holders tallies were: Senator Mark Koran won all 34 precincts in his senate district for 67 percent over Victoria Bird. A fun fact is that the two tied in Center City with each receiving 177 votes.
Rep. Anne Neu Brindley was sent back to St Paul with 12,260 votes, districtwide to Katie Malchow’s 7,471.
And Rep. Brian Johnson took Fish Lake, Harris, and one of the North Branch precincts to defeat his challenger Erik Johnson by about 68 percent to 32 percent.
Chisago Lakes schools’ referendum questions both failed. One sought operating levy revenues and one was for a bond for capital projects. The levy fell 70 percent no to 29 percent in favor. The bonding went down 65 to 34 percent.
Supt. Dean Jennissen stated afterward, “...moving forward we recognize that our financial educational and building needs will stay with us. It’s improtant to the district to continue engaging ...on a revised plan for addressing them.”
School Board seats were filled by Cory Spencer, Jen Penzenstadler and Josh Soderlund.
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