Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
The filing deadline for this summer’s primary election has passed, and the ballot is now set.
On Tuesday, June 14, 10 positions in New Rockford and Sheyenne will be decided, and primaries will be held to narrow the field of candidates for Eddy County seats as well as state legislative positions in District 15.
In Eddy County, nine individuals have thrown their hats in the ring for seven available positions, and the “New Rockford Transcript” will be up for re-election as the county’s official newspaper.
Five of those seven seats are uncontested, as no candidates have stepped forth to challenge State’s Attorney Ashley Lies, Treasurer Kathy Anderson, Auditor Patty Williams and Sheriff Paul Lies. Tiffany Harr has petitioned to run for the Recorder/Clerk of District Court position left open by Patti Hilbert, who has decided not to run.
However, a much more congested field of candidates are gunning for two available seats on the Eddy County commission. Those two seats are currently held by Dave Gehrtz and Neal Rud, but only Gehrtz will be running to keep his position.
Four other candidates, Dale Rosenberg, Brady Richter, Jeff Pfau and Jamie Allmaras, are also running for a seat at the table. Among them, only Pfau has previously served as an Eddy County commissioner. The four who receive the most votes in the primary will be on the general election ballot in November.
The city races have more seats open than candidates to fill them, however. In New Rockford, the seats of city commissioners Jim Belquist and Ryan Hagar are up for grabs, but only Belquist has filed a petition for reelection. No other candidates have stepped forward either, leaving an opening for someone to run as a write-in candidate.
The New Rockford Park Board races also appear to be uncontested this summer, as all three incumbents, Elliot Belquist, Jackie Engels and Reed Weisenberger, will be running against zero challengers.
In Sheyenne, Mayor Robert Hanson will be running for reelection uncontested, Elvis Thumb will be running for reelection to the Sheyenne City Council and Dianne Hanson will be running for one of two available positions on the Sheyenne Park Board.
The two Sheyenne Park Board seats up for reelection belong to Arnie Nyhusmoen and David Rieger, and neither filed for reelection, leaving Hanson to run uncontested, and one vacancy to fill.
The Sheyenne City Council faces a similar story, as only Elvis Thumb has filed for reelection, while Amy Benson, whose four-year term is also due to expire, has not. No other candidates have come forward, leaving one open position to fill via write-in or appointment.
Finally, the northeast portion of Eddy County, which coincides with the Spirit Lake Reservation, will also vote for state legislators to represent them in the new District 15.
Two Republicans, Judy Estenson of Warwick and Dave Oehlke of Devils Lake, are running for state senator. The winner of that primary will face Democratic-NPL candidate, Collette Brown of Warwick, who is running uncontested in this summer’s primary.
Three Republicans, meanwhile, are running for state representative: Kathy Frelich and Dennis Johnson of Devils Lake, and Greg Westlind of Cando. The two winners of that primary battle will face just one Democratic-NPL candidate, Heather Lawrence-Skadsem of Warwick.
All voters in Eddy County, including those in District 15, will once again be given the option to vote by mail this summer, and applications will be sent to everyone who voted in the 2020 general election. Eddy County Auditor, Patty Williams, will be mailing applications as soon as April 25.
Residents who didn’t vote in the last election can apply for an application at vote.nd.gov. A copy of the application will also be printed in this newspaper soon, which voters can cut out and submit. Absentee ballot applications must be submitted to the auditor's office at the Eddy County Courthouse.
Absentee ballots can be submitted in person, through the mail or by fax, and beginning April 25, a drop box will be available in the alley by the back door of the courthouse. Ballots must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Monday, June 13, or postmarked the day before the election if mailed.
For those wishing to cast their votes on Election Day, an in-person polling location will be open for all Eddy County voters, including those in District 15, at the Brown Memorial Auditorium from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on June 14.
