Governor's race, taxes, war bring out voters

Northland voters repeated an early-November tradition Tuesday, turning out in large numbers to vote.

Control of Congress, the governor's race, taxes and the war in Iraq appeared to be the big issues. But voters came for many reasons.

Casting a ballot was the last chore in Hermantown for Keith Youngren and his son, Alex, before they headed out for a pheasant-hunting trip in South Dakota.

The pair made sure to make time to vote for Tim Pawlenty, Republican candidate for governor. "Hatch is too anti-business," Keith Youngren said.

In the Central Hillside, Michael Chaney said he voted for Pawlenty four years ago but supported Hatch this time.

"Taxes are a big issue for me," said the electrical assembler. "Pawlenty pledged no new taxes, but property tax and fee increases are the same thing."

Minnesota's Arrowhead region has a history of high voter turnout. The last midterm election drew about three out of four registered voters. Two years ago, nine out of 10 registered voters cast a ballot.

Many who turned out Tuesday said they wanted change in Washington, D.C.

At Lakeview Covenant Church on Jean Duluth Road, Julie Ernst said she was voting against President George W. Bush and failed Republican policies.

"I voted straight Democrat to vote against Bush and his war in Iraq," she said. "We need a big change of course."

Edward Nyman of Fayal Township said he "is opinionated and I voted that way."

"We've got a meatball for president," he said. "When I marked my ballot, I voted on how to get rid of the meatballs and not get too belligerent."

There were plenty of opinions about the war.

Anorine Christianson's son served in Iraq.

"We're kind of heading in the wrong direction with this war," said the Virginia resident. "It seems like it's a hopeless case in Iraq."

Meteorologist Roman Berdes said he supported Republican Mark Kennedy for U.S. Senate, who has said it's better to fight terrorists in Iraq than in the United States.

"I'm afraid of them pulling out prematurely and leaving a big mess back there," Berdes said. "I don't want it to blow up and become worse."

Some voted for the first time. And they came for all reasons.

Alissa Kaake, 19, of Hermantown, was a first-timer.

"I'm pretty pumped," said Alissa Kaake, 19, as she walked toward the busy Hermantown city offices to cast her vote.

Kaake, a College of St. Scholastica student, cast her ballot for Pawlenty "for personal reasons" and planned to vote for Rod Grams for the U.S. House.

"I'm more on the conservative side," she said.

Married couple Natalie and Jason Feltham said they canceled out each other's vote.

She's a Democrat and he's a Republican. But as they voted at Lakeside's Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd on the way home from work, they found something to agree on: They voted against a transportation amendment and both voted for Hatch.

No specific issue brought Denise Kelly of Hermantown out to the polls -- she came for the grumbling rights.

"If you don't vote, you can't grumble," Kelly said. "I vote every year."

Some were ready to get it over with.

East End resident Peggy Unkelhaeuser said she missed the old days when candidates used to just talk issues.

"Mostly, I'll be so glad when this is over, because I'm so tired of the ads on TV," she said. "Every time you turn around, it's another slam."

Problems at the polls were apparently few.

Voters in Duluth's Lincoln Park/West End neighborhood couldn't feed their ballots into newly unveiled scanners early in the day. But many of those voting near Embarrass refused to use the scanner, opting to stuff their ballots in the traditional ballot box.

JASON MOHR covers the Duluth community and city government. He can be reached at (218) 723-5312 or by e-mail at jmohr@duluthnews.com .