On August 24, Governor Mark Dayton announced the details of the special election to fill the vacancy in the Minnesota House of Representatives caused by the passing of Representative David Dill on August 8, 2015. The governor announced that a special election will be held in House District 3A on Tuesday, December 8, 2015. The filing period for candidates opened on August 24.
According to Minnesota Secretary of State spokesperson Ryan Furlong, if a primary is needed, that election will be held Tuesday, September 29, 2015.
At press time, Cook County Auditor Braidy Powers said no candidates had been recorded on the Secretary of State website or filed at his office, but he explained, “If there are two or more candidates for a major party there is a primary. That means we will have a primary from everything I have read and heard.”
Three DFL candidates have announced interest in running for the vacant seat. Tofte’s Bill Hansen made an official announcement on August 24, stating, “It would be an honor to serve as the representative of District 3A in the Minnesota Legislature. I am a candidate for that office.
“I’m inspired by the success of progressive political leaders like Governor Mark Dayton and Duluth Mayor Don Ness. I’d strive to bring that style of leadership to the people of District 3A. “I am a lifelong business owner and DFL activist. My civic work over the last 25 years has allowed me to be involved in economic and community development across northern Minnesota. My constituents will be the people of District 3A, not billionaires and multinational corporations,” said Hansen.
Rob Ecklund of International Falls announced his candidacy on August 18 and he visited Cook County this week, meeting with the Cook County Chamber of Commerce, local business leaders, WTIP Community Radio and the Cook County News-Herald. He described himself as “pro-multiuse, pro-mining and pro-timber.”
Ecklund, who has been a Koochiching County Commissioner for five years, said the large size of House District 3A won’t deter him from serving the public. He noted that his commissioner district is very large and he travels the 600 miles to St. Paul regularly to attend Minnesota Department of Human Services Performance Council meetings. He noted that the trip from International Falls and up the North Shore, “is a beautiful drive.”
Ecklund added that while he is not social media savvy, he does use email and he always answers phone calls. “I plan on following David Dill’s example. All of us in I-Falls have been very appreciative of how responsive he and Senator Tom Bakk have been.”
Although at press time Ely City Council Member Heidi Omerza had not yet contacted the Cook County News-Herald, she was scheduled to meet with community members in Grand Marais on Friday morning, August 28.
At press time no Republican candidates for the vacant seat had come forward. However, just as the News-Herald was going to press, Eric Johnson of International Falls, who ran against David Dill as GOP candidate in 2012, announced that he had filed. Johnson is running under the DFL party.
Affidavits of candidacy and nominating petitions for House District 3A must be filed with the Secretary of State or the county auditor of Cook, Koochiching, Lake, or St. Louis County by 5 p.m. on Monday, August 31, 2015.
Tentative plans are under way for an election forum to be hosted by the Cook County Chamber of Commerce, WTIP Community Radio and the Cook County News- Herald.
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