In township after township reporting election results, the number of voters casting ballots was unusually high, ranging anywhere from 77 to 99 percent of the registered voters.
In Munson Township, they had 99 new voters register at the polls on election day. Kathleen Hemmesch, township clerk, estimated between 80 and 85 percent of the voters cast ballots.
“I think the governor’s race and Jesse Ventura brought out the voters,” Hemmesch said.
In the city of Roscoe, 72 of 73 voters cast ballots on election day. The city of Regal reported 90 percent of their voters turned out for the election. Jan Rossmeisel, the Manannah Township clerk, reported between 85 and 90 percent voter turnout. They had 46 new voters register on election day.
Paynesville Township reported 81 percent of their voters cast ballots. They registered 91 new voters.
In the city of Paynesville, 80 percent of the registered voters cast ballots. The city recorded 1,001 voters casting ballots with 165 new voters registering. “It isn’t often we run out of registration cards,” Dennis Wilde, city administrator, said.
Incumbents were re-elected in the majority of area elections. Roscoe and St. Martin are the only cities with new council members.
At St. Martin, incumbents Mayor Joe Kalthoff and councilman Bob Schmitz were returned to office. Karen Harrison was elected on a write-in vote to serve on the council. Karen Beier did not file for another term.
Incumbents Dennis Roos and Dale Wessel were re-elected to the Lake Henry City Council.
In the city of Paynesville, incumbents were returned to office. Mayor Jeff Thompson received 854 votes and there were 23 write-ins for the position. Councilpersons Jean Soine and Dennis Zimmerman were re-elected with vote totals of 628 and 703 respectively. There were 13 write-ins for the council positions.
In the city of Regal, incumbents were all re-elected to office. They are mayor Mike Braun, 26; councilmen Jo Speldrich, 18; and Ed Keller, 22.
However, the city of Roscoe will have a new mayor. Don Heinen had originally filed for another term on the city council and decided to switch to the mayor’s position. He defeated incumbent mayor Marie Mehr 38-33.
The top two vote getters for city council will serve a four-year term. Sylvester Ludwig received 60 votes and Rob Utsch received 38 to fill Heinen’s seat. George Erlichman received 32 votes.
Tom Burr, rural Paynesville, ran for the District 1 Soil and Water Supervisor seat in Meeker County. He was re-elected with a total of 243 votes.
Paynesville Hospital District board members were also re-elected to another term. Grace Peteler received 618 votes in Paynesville Township; Dr. Mike Hansen, 247 in Union Grove Township; Don Thomes, 160 votes in Zion Township; and Mel Jones 192 in Roseville Township.
The city of Richmond had a close vote to become a part of the hospital district. The vote passed by only two votes—309 to 307.
In the District 5 Stearns County Commissioner race challenger Don Otte defeated incumbent Henry Dickhaus 6,398 to 4,023.