There were changes to the slate of candidates for School District 166 this week as a candidate whose name will appear on the November ballot has announced that he will no longer be running and another candidate considered, then cancelled, a write-in campaign.
Michael O’Phelan of Lutsen answered the Cook County News-
Herald’s
request for an interview to discuss his candidacy for School Board District 5 by declining the interview. The reason? O’Phelan has decided to withdraw from the race because he does not have the time to fulfill the duties of a school board member. However, O’Phelan said it is too late to remove his name from the general election ballot. “Unfortunately, the State of Minnesota is required to prepare the ballots 45 days before an election, so I am on the ballot.”
O’Phelan explained, “I just don’t have the time to be on the school board. I was only running to get my views heard. I talked to Jeanne Anderson and we are in agreement on the issues.
“Voters should know they have a great candidate in Jeanne. I will be voting for her,” said O’Phelan.
Jeanne Anderson of Lutsen said, “We had a very nice discussion. Michael is a very nice man and I know it was a hard decision for him. But running two resorts and serving on many other boards is just too much. It is nice to see other parents involved in whatever way they can.”
Not on the ballot, but considering a run for School Board District 3, was Garry Gamble, who was not eligible to file during the school board filing period because he had filed and run for county commissioner in the primary election. Gamble was defeated in the county commissioner race, but that does not preclude him from being elected as a write-in candidate. As a write-in, he would be challenging incumbent board member Mary Sanders. Auditor-Treasurer Braidy Powers confirmed that Gamble could be elected as a write-in. “Anyone can be elected as a write-in candidate,” said Powers.
However, on Tuesday, September 28, Gamble contacted the News-
Herald
to let them know he had decided not to seek election by writein. Gamble said he is very interested in serving on the school board, but because of other commitments, he does not have the time to devote to the task of campaigning at this time.
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