Candidates to face off in primary

By GUY PRIEL

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- When voters go to the polls today for the Minnesota primary election, topping their minds will be determining who will represent the state's four major parties on the general ballot Nov. 7.

Many candidates have already planned celebration parties for the event, hoping the voters will allow them the chance to be on the ballot for the general election.

Those representing minor parties will automatically move forward to the general election, Secretary of State Spokesman Kent Kaiser said.

During the primary, voters must vote for the party, although they can vote for the person in November, he said.

"The overall goal of the primary is to narrow the list of candidates for the party to one," he said. "There are no write-ins allowed."

With the exception of a few local races, where there may be more than one candidate, all names appearing on the ballot are for state and federal offices.

Tuesday also marks the filing deadline for school board candidates, city council seats, and mayors in most Minnesota cities. Those names will appear on the ballot in November.

Only those state offices with more than one person from the same party running will appear on the ballot on Tuesday.

Those names are:

* In Senate District 26, DFL candidates Tim Hage of Eagle Lake, and Chuck Fowler of Fairmont. The incumbent is Republican Don Ziegler. The district represents parts of Watonwan and Blue Earth Counties.

In all races, there is only one candidate, or one candidate from each party represented.

Polling places in Brown County will be at the individual township halls, beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 8 p.m., with some (Hanska, Cottonwood, Home, Lake Hanska, Linden, and Milford) opening at 7 a.m.; and Albin, which opens at 8 a.m.

The following exceptions apply: In Evan, the election is at City Hall; in Hanska, the election is at the community center; in Bashaw Township, the election is at the Lorin Wing Residence; in Burnstown Township, the election is in the Springfield American Legion Building; in Eden, the election is at the Morgan Fire Hall; in Home Township, it is in the REA Building; in Lake Hanska Township, it is the Hanska Community Center; in Linden Township, it is in Hanska Fire Hall; in North Star Township, it is the Springfield Library; in Prairieville Township, it is the Brown County Office Building in Sleepy Eye; in Stark Township, it is in Chuck Spaeth Ford in Sleepy Eye; and in Stately Township, it is in the basement of the Lutheran Church.

* For Nicollet County, all polling places will open at 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m., with some (Belgrade Township; Courtland Township; Lafayette Township; Lake Prairie Township; Nicollet Township; Oshawa Township; and West Newton Township) opening at 7 a.m. Bernadotte Township will open at 8 a.m. All polling places are at the individual township halls, except in St. Peter, where all precincts will vote at the St. Peter Armory; In Courtland, the election will be at City Hall; in Lafayette, it will be at the Community Center; and in Nicollet, it will be at City Hall.

The following exceptions apply for polling places in Nicollet County: Belgrade Township, at Nicollet County Office Building, N. Mankato; Brighton Township, Swan Lake Church; Courtland Township, Courtland Community Center; and West Newton Township, St. George School.

* In Sibley County, all polls are open at the individual town halls beginning at 7 a.m. and ending at 8 p.m. Some townships (Alfsborg, Arlington, Bismarck, Cornish, Dryden, Grafton, New Auburn, Sibley, and Transit) will open at 10 a.m. Faxon and Washington Lake will open at 8 a.m. Kelso, Moltke and Severance will open at 9 a.m.

In the cities of Arlington, Gibbon and Winthrop, the election will be held at the community center; in Gaylord and New Auburn it is at City Hall; in Green Isle, it is at the fire hall; and in Henderson, it is at the Brass Top Hall.

The following exceptions apply: in Dryden Township, polls will be in the Gaylord Fire Hall; in Faxon Township, it will be in St. John's Hall; in Severance Township, it will be in the Gibbon Community Center; and in Washington Lake Township, it will be at the Green Isle Community Building.

* In Redwood County, polls will open at 7 a.m. at all locations, with polling places located in individual town halls or city halls, with several exceptions. In the cities, those exceptions are in Belview, Lamberton, and Sanborn, where the polling place is in the Fire Hall; and Clements, where the polling place is at the Gilfillan Building, and Vesta, Morgan, Seaforth, Wabasso, Walnut Grove, and Wanda, where the polling place is at the Community Center. In Redwood Falls, polling places are at City Hall and in the basement of the County Court House.

In the townships, those exceptions are: Brookville Township, at the Leon Petersen Home; Charlestown Township,Sanborn Fire Hall; Granite Rock Township, Lucan Fire Hall; Honner Township, Marguth Auction Center; Kintire Township, Belview Fire Hall; Lamberton Township, Lamberton Community Center; Morgan Township, Lions Community Building; North Hero Township, Walnut Grove Community Center; Paxton Township, Redwood Falls Fire Station; Redwood Falls Township, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Redwood Falls; Sheridan Township, Seaforth Community Center; Springdale Township, Walnut Grove Community Center; Sundown Township, Clements Legion Hall; Vail Township, Wabasso Community Center; Vesta Township, Vesta Community Center; Waterbury Township, Dave Jenniges Home; Westline Township, Milroy Legion Hall; and Willow Lake Township, Wanda Township Garage.