Caledonia Argus

Voter turnout high for 2002

Posted: 11/13/02

by Jane Palen
Managing editor

Despite a snowy start to election day 2002, voters turn-out was high in all 27 precincts in Houston County. A total of 8,858 votes were cast.

In the most closely-watched race in the state was the race for US Senate. With the untimely death of Senator Paul Wellstone on October 25, Walter Mondale stepped up as the DFL candidate and lost to former St. Paul mayor Norm Coleman, 1,116,336 to 1,065,022. In Houston county, Coleman received 4,234 to 4,110 for Mondale.

The three-way race for governor resulted in a win for the Republican ticket of Pawlenty/Molnau. Statewide, Pawlenty received 999.039 votes. Democrat Roger Moe received 821,120 and Independent Tim Penny 364,433. Green Party candidate Ken Pentel received 50,589 votes statewide. In Houston County, there were only 100 votes for Pentel, 3,060 for Penny, 3358 for Pawlenty and 2007 for Moe.

State Senator Bob Kierlin, a Republican, received 4,846 votes in Houston County and 15,793 in the entire District 31B. His Democratic challenger, Sharon Ropes, received 3,779 votes in Houston County and 13,973 district-wide.

It was a close race for State Representative with Houston County voters favoring Democrat Al Hein 3,935 to 3,758 for incumbent Greg Davids. Davids, a Republican, was the ultimate winner garnering 8,475 votes in his district to 7,363 for Hein.

Three county precincts voted in the race for District 31A and gave incumbent Gene Pelowski 489 votes to 353 for his Republican challenger, Justin Costello. In the whole district, Pelowski received 9,037 to 4,843 for Costello.

In other state races, Mary Kiffmeyer (R) defeated Buck Humphrey (D) for Secretary of State, 1,040,324 to 973, 842.

For state auditor, Republican Patricia Awada defeated Democrat Carol Johnson 955,723 to 940,915. In Houston County, the tally was 3,881 for Awada and 3,547 for Johnson.

Houston County didnít pick the winner in the race for attorney general, giving Republican Tom Kelly 4,103 votes to 3,744 for Democrat Mike Hatch. Voters statewide saw it differently, and Hatch kept his job, defeating Kelly 1,197,089 to 894,285.

In District 4, Dave Corcoran survived a challenge from Bill Beckman and won 1,230 votes to 612. Incumbent Kevin Kelleher beat challenger Larry Connery in District 2, 959 to 630.

Houston lacked a mayoral candidate in the recent election, but 222 write-in votes gave attorney Jim Schultz his old job back. Terry Chiglo received 81 write-in votes.

For the Houston School board, write-in Tom Stilin won a seat with 356 votes. Other seats were won by Ron Evenson, 920; Kelley Stanage, 618; and Paula Stefan, 332. A declared candidate, Tracy Rathke, received 312 votes.

Spring Grove lacked any candidates for council, but Brent Newgaard and Rachel Hegge won as write-ins with 138 and 165 votes.

In La Crescent, Mike Poellinger survived a write-in challenge from former mayor Jack Miller, 1103 to 860. Another declared candidate, Clark Davidson, received 177 votes.

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