Contest in Lutsen, blank spot in Schroeder,
Candidates decided for townships’ March elections
Gregg Westigard
Lutsen has a contested race for Township Supervisor among the four spots on the March election ballot. Schroeder still needs a candidate for Township Clerk. Tofte has a single candidate for each open position. The filing period ended last week for the March 10 elections in each of the west end townships.
Lutsen – There are now candidates for the four open positions in Lutsen. Lollie Cooper is challenging incumbent Supervisor Andrew Beavers for the three-year term on the town board. Colleen Brennan is the sole candidate for the one-year term as supervisor. Sharon Hexum-Platzer is running for re-election as town clerk. And while no one filed for the town treasurer position, Ashley VanDoren has agreed to run as a write-in candidate according to information from Hexum-Platzer.
Two present office holders are not running for re-election. Elis Walch was appointed as supervisor in May 2019 to finish the term of Christine Ordemann who had moved out of the town. Walch stated in November that she would not run for the remaining year of the three-year term. Paul Goettl was appointed Treasurer in March 2019, after an election with no candidate and no write-in winner. He agreed to take the position until the next election. Minnesota election laws say that a person appointed to a vacant position only serves until the next election, at which time a person is elected to complete the term.
Schroeder – There was almost a full ballot in Schroeder until just before the filing period ended. Rick Anderson is running for re-election for the three-year term as Supervisor. A candidate had been recruited to run for Township Clerk after a long search. Then, according to information shared at the January 14, Schroeder township meeting, that person had to change plans. As of now, there is no candidate for the write-in Clerk spot to replace Doug Schwecke. He had announced last summer that he would retire at the end of his term and an active candidate search was started.
Tofte – The Tofte election ballot is clear. Both incumbents are running for re-election unopposed, Township Clerk Kay Burkett says. Supervisor Craig Horak is seeking another three-year term and Clerk Kay Burkett is running for a two-year term for the position she was appointed to last May, when Barb Gervais resigned.
The three Cook County Townships hold annual elections each March to elect their five officials: three Supervisors, a Clerk and a Treasurer. The supervisors serve three-year terms, with one elected each year. The other officials serve two-year terms, elected in alternate years.
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