Voters return incumbents (mostly) to local seats

Updated as of Wednesday, November 6 at 9:30 a.m. per the Secretary of States website.

Voters in the New Prague area for the most part returned incumbent candidates to their posts on city councils, the school board and county boards according to unofficial returns posted on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website Tuesday night, Nov. 5.

Voters in the New Prague Area School District’s 14 precincts selected three incumbents and a newcomer from a field of six running for four seats. Jean Schmidt (5,759 votes) was elected to the board. Incumbents Kim Holden (5,504) and Dennis Havlicek (5,220) were re-elected along with newcomer Carrie Cuff (5,160). They topped Leo Giesen (4,841) and Matt Goldade (4,378).

In New Prague, Mayor Duane Jirik (3,725 votes) was unopposed. Incumbent councilors Bruce Wolf (2,323 votes) and Shawn Ryan (2,135) were re-elected over challenger Dan Meyer (1,728).

Voters in Elko New Market picked Andrew Ganfield (1,197 votes) over Rick Stidger (1,105) as the city’s next mayor to replace Joe Julius who did not seek re-election. In the race for two ENM city council seats, Amanda Novak (1,301 votes) and Megan Thielfoldt (1,112) easily topped the field of candidates including Bob Crawford (694), Gina Styles (677) and Jodi Lucast (562).

With a population of about 130 people, Heidelberg faces the question of who will lead the small city’s council. There was no candidate for mayor but 63 write-in votes for unidentified people were received. In the voting for city councilor, there were 68 write-in votes unidentified people topping the vote totals of Matt Graf (40 votes), Douglas Kilian (30) and Rachel Meger (17). The special election for a councilor drew no candidates but received 40 write-in votes for unidentified people.

In Lonsdale, Tom Berg (988 votes) narrowly defeated Scott Pelava (951) and Michael Konyu (519) in the race to replace mayor Tim Rud who did not seek re-election. In the race for two city councilor seats, Lonsdale voters overwhelmingly favored James Vosejpka (1,280 votes) and Kari Miller (1,132) in a field of five candidates for two seats. The others included Cindy Furrer (720), Mike Harding (638) and Wesley Mousel (213).

In county elections, Scott County voters in the first commissioner district voted to return commissioner Barb Weckman Brekke (7,763) to the county board over Joe Wagner (7,564 votes) . The district includes the cities of Belle Plaine, Jordan (precincts 1 and 2), New Prague (Precinct 2) and Shakopee (precincts 5 and 13) and the townships of Belle Plaine, Blakeley, Helena, Jackson, Louisville, St. Lawrence and Sand Creek. Le Sueur County voters in the first district favored Dennis Tietz (2,326 votes) over Elizabeth (Liz) Krocak (812). The commissioner district includes the portion of New Prague in Le Sueur County, the city of Heidelberg and Lanesbergh Township.

Rice County voters returned Charles Peters (6,166 votes) to the county board. He was unopposed. The commissioner district includes the city of Lonsdale and the townships of Wheatland, Webster, Erin, Forest, Shieldsville, Morristown, and Warsaw.

Vote totals will not be official until canvassed and approved by the local elected bodies.

This story will be updated and will include additional information printed in the Nov. 14 print edition of The New Prague Times.