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Rob Ecklund
When the votes were tallied following the November 15 election Republican Ely Mayor Roger Skraba was 37 votes ahead of incumbent Rob Ecklund, DFL International Falls, in the Minnesota House District 3A seat race.
Skraba collected 10,526 votes to Ecklund’s 10,489.
While Ecklund said he would ask for a recount, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State, the race was close enough to qualify for a publicly funded recount.
Skraba complimented Ecklulnd on the campaign he ran, saying Rob was a good guy who ran a clean campaign. However, Skraba noted that while he and Ecklund were cordial, their state and national backers threw a lot of mud at each other.
When reached on Tuesday, November 15, Ecklund, who has served in the House since 2015, was asked when ballots would be counted again. “The recount will be after the Secretary of State issues a certificate of election, which will be on the 19th, I believe.”
And what if he prevails in the recount?
Mayor Roger Skraba
“PILT (payment in lieu of taxes) reform will be my top tax issue, and getting unemployment benefit extensions for the North Shore miners will be the immediate task. If I lose, not sure,” said Rob.
Skraba said if his lead holds up, he will seek to serve on environmental and mental health committees. If he loses, Roger will return to his Quetico Wilderness guide service and carpentry. Roger’s term ends at the end of December as Mayor of Ely.
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