Busy ballots before voters Nov. 6

A wide variety of issues and candidates will fill the ballots Tuesday, from president to state offices to school referendums.

For the general election, polling places typically are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 6. Some open later, but all close by 8.

Voters who are not able to get to their polling place Tuesday can vote absentee today and Monday. Residents in Cannon Falls, Kenyon, Lake City, Pine Island, Red Wing and Zumbrota can vote absentee in person at their local city hall. Others can cast their early ballots at the Goodhue County Government Center.

Voters who are not registered can do so at the polling places on Tuesday. To do so, voters can:

• bring a valid driver’s license or other ID with a current address,

• bring a photo ID and a current bill (ex. telephone, TV, internet or utilities) with the correct name and address, or

• have a registered voter in the same precinct confirm eligibility.

Here is an overview of the candidates, issues and offices local voters might see on their Nov. 6 ballots. Voters also can write in names.

Federal offices

President: With Minnesota giving President Barack Obama leads in polls this year, he and Republican candidateMitt Romney have spent little time or money here. They also have spent little time discussing issues of specific interest to rural Minnesota. Ten presidential candidates’ names will be on the Minnesota ballot.

U.S. Senate: U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, has maintained large leads in polls as she ends her first six-year term. Republican challenger Kurt Bills, a one-term state House member and an economics teacher, has had little money to compete. Tim Davis of the Grassroots Party is a disabled and retired blue-collar worker who ran for U.S. House in 1988 and 2002. Michael Cavlan, who will be listed as a Minnesota Open Progressives member on the ballot, is a nurse running against Klobuchar for the second straight election.

2nd Congressional District: Republican U.S. Rep. John Kline is chairman of the House education and labor committee, one of the most powerful in the House. Democrat Mike Obermueller served one term in the state House before losing his re-election bid.

Supreme Court: Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea is challenged by Dan Griffith, Justice Barry Anderson by Dean Barkley and Justice David Stras by Tim Tingelstad.

Constitutional amendments: Voters will be asked to decide whether to amend the state Constitution to define a marriage as only between a man and a woman and whether to require voters to produce photo IDs before casting ballots.

State offices

Legislature: All 201 state House and Senate seats will be up for election.

•Senate District 21: Incumbent John Howe, a Republican, is seeking a second term in the state Senate while DFL challenger Matt Schmit also hopes to represent the new Senate District 21. The district remains largely unchanged after redistricting, encompassing Goodhue and Wabasha counties, northern Winona County and a notch of Dodge County.

•Senate District 58: Current Republican Sen. Dave Thompson faces challenger Andrew Brobston for state Senate District 58, which includes a small portion of Goodhue County.

•House District 21A: Democrat John Bacon is challenging Republican incumbent Tim Kelly for the seat that includes much of Goodhue County.

•House District 21B: Current GOP Rep. Steve Drazkowski faces repeat challenger Bruce Montplaisir for the House District 21B seat.

•House District 58B: Jim Arlt is challenging GOP incumbent Pat Garofalo for the District 58B seat, whose representation includes Stanton and Warsaw townships.

Court of Appeals: Renee Worke, District 6, and Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks, District 7, are both running unopposed for appeals court positions.

1st District Court: Two races are contested: Kathryn Messerich will face Brian Gravely and Diane Hanson will have a challenger in Michael Larson. Other candidates running unopposed — all incumbents — are Arlene Asencio Perkkio, David Knutson, Michael Mayer, Erica MacDonald, Michael Savre and Terry Conkel.

County and local elections

Goodhue County Board:

•District 1: Ron Allen, currently serving on the board, is running unopposed for this seat that covers part of Red Wing and Welch.

•District 3: Incumbent Dan Rechtzigel and challenger Barney Nesseth seek to represent this district, which encompasses southwestern Goodhue County from Warsaw, Wanamingo, Roscoe, and Pine Island through Kenyon.

•District 5: Current board member Ted Seifert has a challenger in Paul Drotos for this seat. The district includes Wacouta Township and the eastern portion of Red Wing.

Goodhue County Soil and Water Conservation District representative: All unopposed, Donald Banks, Edward McNamara and John Jaeger are seeking spots on the board.

Red Wing City Council

•Ward 1: Jason Sebion is running unopposed for the seat vacated by Council member Dan Bender.

•Ward 2: Lisa Bayley is now unopposed after challenger Craig Livingstone withdrew from the race. However, Livingstone’s name still will appear on the ballot.

•Wards 3-4: Current City Council President Ralph Rauterkus faces challenger Erik Fridell for this combined-ward council position.

Red Wing mayor: Current Mayor Dennis Egan, elected in a 2011 special election, and LaVergne Dickerson are vying for the position.

Schools

Red Wing School Board: Four candidates are seeking the four open seats on the Red Wing School Board. Current members Mike Christensen and Heidi Jones are joined on the ballot by Janie Farrar and Mark Ryan.

Cannon Falls School Board: Three board members will be elected. Running are Jerry Reinardy, Bob Brintnall and Brenda Owens.

Kenyon-Wanamingo School Board: Karla Bauer, Greg Dotson and Douglas Kyllo are running for the three open spots on the board.

Lake City School Board: Voters have three candidates for four open spots on the board — Kevin Pavelka, Heath Oeltjen and Jack Rol. A special election seat features candidates Dawn Balow and Tommy Keller.

Zumbrota-Mazeppa School Board: Three people — Peter Hinrichs, Mark Krier and Brian Grudem — are on the ballot for three open school board seats.

Other city elections

•Bellechester will elect a mayor and two council members. Mayoral candidate is Keegan David Quinn. City Council candidates are Richard Majerus, Paul Reding, Jo-Lynn Grenfell and Edith Buck.

•Cannon Falls voters will chose a mayor, and Robby Robinson is the only candidate. They also will elect three City Council members. Running are Morris Mattson, Jay Sjoblom and Merlyce Johnson.

•Dennison: Voters need to elect a mayor — running is Dawn Olson — and two council members — candidates are Daniel Storlie and Britt Olson.

•Goodhue: Three candidate are vying for two council seats — John M. Adams, Joseph Zignego and Leia Ryan. Kerry Bien is the only candidate for mayor.

•Holden Township: has an opening for a town supervisor but no candidates. Voters also will be asked to elect a clerk, and the only listed candidate is Barbara St. John.

•Kenyon: Voters will choose among Diane Barrett, Scott Metcalf and Mike Engel for mayor. Richard E. Nielsen Jr. is the only candidate for City Council, where two seats are open.

•Kenyon Township has one candidate for each of the open town supervisor seats, Bernie Overby and Scott Androli, and Joyce E. Anderson as the only candidate for clerk.

•Lake City: Joel Beckman is the only candidate for mayor, and candidates for the three open council seats are Andru Peters, Mary Lou Waltman and Mark Spence.

•Pine Island voters will choose between Paul Perry and Rod Steele for mayor. They also have five options for two open council slots — Dean Weis, Erik Diskerud, David Harrison Engel, Nick Novak and Grant Friese. A special election for council members features candidates Randy Bates and David Stafford.

•Wanamingo: Ron Berg is Wanamingo’s only mayor candidate. Jennifer Berquam and Ryan Holmes are seeking the two open council seats.

•Zumbrota: Richard Bauer is running for mayor. Dale Hinderaker and Sara Durhman are running for two council spots.

Referendums

Red Wing local option sales tax: The city is asking voters to approve a half-cent sales tax that would last for a maximum of 20 years and bring in up to $14.88 million for riverfront and downtown improvements, work at the Sheldon Theatre and contributions to a Red Wing Area Senior Center and pottery museum facility.

Red Wing School District — three questions: The first question will ask voters to renew the district’s existing operating levy, which brings in about $4 million a year, beginning after the current levy ends in 2014 and continuing through 2019. The second asks voters to approve a $33 million bond to address deferred maintenance in the district and consolidate elementary classes at Burnside Elementary School. The third question asks for a $4.6 million bond to improve and update the district’s athletic facilities. The second and third questions are contingent on the first question passing.

Cannon Falls charter amendment: Cannon Falls voters will decide whether to amend the city charter to change two of the six City Council seats to two-year terms instead of the current four-year terms.

Zumbrota-Mazeppa School District levy: The district is seeking to increase its general education revenue by $350 per pupil. The levy would be applicable for five years.

Wisconsin elections

U.S. Senate: Former Gov. Tommy Thompson, a Republican, is seeking to beat out current U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin for a Senate seat.

U.S. Congress: Democrat Ray Boland is seeking the congressional seat currently held by Republican Ron Kind.

Senate District 10: Current Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, a Republican, is challenged by Daniel Olson for the state Senate seat.

Assembly District 93: Republican Warren Petryk and challenger, democrat Jeff Smith, are seeking the state assembly seat for District 93.

Don Davis contributed to this report.

• To see a sample of your local ballot, visit myballotmn.sos.state.mn.us

• Check voter registration status at mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/VoterStatus.aspx

• Goodhue County election information is available at http://www.co.goodhue.mn.us/departments/auditortreasurer/ElectionInformation.aspx

• Red Wing election information, including a list of polling places, is available at www.red-wing.org/elecinfo.html