Posted: 9/22/04
Bjerke, Gulbranson are top two in fifth district primary
Houston County voters in district five chose incumbent Nels Gulbranson and Tom Bjerke to be on the general election ballot for Houston County fifth district commissioner on November 2.
Bjerke received 271 votes at the September 14 primary, followed by Gulbranson with 154.
Danielle Burg, Caledonia, finished third with 94 votes, followed by Matthew Myrah, Spring Grove, with 45. A total of 564 people voted.
District five contains the cities of Spring Grove and Eitzen, and the townships of Blackhammer, Crooked Creek, Jefferson, Spring Grove, Wilmington, and Winnebago.
County-wide, 1,201 people voted in 27 precincts, including 653 Republicans, 418 Democrats, and 44 Independents. Voters could not cross party lines in the primary. Here are the Houston County vote totals for national and state candidates:
ï Independence U.S. Representative, District 1: Gregory Mikkelson, 21, David Pechulis, 18.
ï Republican U.S. Representative, District 1: Gil Gutknecht, 623.
ï Republican State Representative, District 31A: Nick Ridge, 50.
ï Republican State Representative, District 31B: Greg Davids, 514.
ï DFL U.S. Representative, District 1: Leigh Pomeroy, 335.
ï DFL State District 31A: Gen Pelowski Jr., 23.
ï DFL State Representative, District 31B: Peggy Hanson, 381.
Two other commissioner seats open
Houston County districts one and three also have commissioner elections, but there was no primary election because not more than two people filed.
In district one, Larry Graf, who has held this seat since 1999, is the only who filed. This district includes La Crescent City - 1st Precinct, and La Crescent City - 2nd Precinct, incumbent Larry Graf, La Crescent,
In district three, incumbent Ann Thompson, Caledonia, and Mark J. Coffield, Caledonia, have filed. This district includes Caledonia City - 1st Precinct, Caledonia City - 2nd Precinct and Caledonia and Mayville Townships.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com