The primary election just keeps creeping up on us. It’s only eight days away.
More immediately, the deadline for letters to the editor related to the primary is tomorrow. That leaves little time to write and submit your support or criticism of a candidate. A reminder that letters about candidates are limited to 200 words. Other letters are limited to 300 words. We prefer letters be submitted by email to
letters@duluthnews.com
.
Another reminder is about the primary races that have dominated the News Tribune’s Opinion pages the past two weeks, first with our endorsements and editorials about the candidates and the contests and then with commentaries from the candidates themselves, making their best pitches.
Races in the Northland requiring a primary this month are for:
- St. Louis County Board District 3, where Duluth’s Chris Dahlberg decided not to run again and where three candidates (Jay Fosle, Kim McKay and Beth Olson) are vying to replace him.
- St. Louis County Board District 7, where four Iron Rangers (Michael Jugovich, Jeff Polcher, Mary Jo Rahja and Melissa Scaia) are looking to take the seat vacated by longtime Commissioner Steve Raukar of Hibbing.
- The DFL slot for Minnesota House District 6A, where four candidates (Ben DeNucci, Julie Sandstede, Mike Thompson and Tom Whiteside) are competing to face Republican Robert Farnsworth in the race to replace the stepping-down Rep. Carly Melin, DFL-Hibbing.
- And Minnesota House District 7B, where two candidates (Bryan Jensen and Liz Olson) are seeking the DFL nod and the chance to take on Republican Cody Barringer to replace Rep. Erik Simonson, DFL-Duluth, who’s running for Minnesota Senate.
There’s little time, too, to bone up on the candidates and races and to get into that local- and statewide-politics frame of mind, something Minnesotans long didn’t have to think about during cabin and mosquito season or in these weeks before the State Fair. It’s on all of us to fulfill our patriotic and civic duty by voting. Yes, even in a primary. And yes, even in summer. Good luck to the candidates. They deserve our appreciation for putting themselves out there, for being willing to lead, and for contributing to and helping to shape critical community dialogue. The News Tribune Opinion page will continue to do its best to do its part in these and future elections.
The primary may be fast approaching - with the general election close behind on Nov. 8 - but there’s still time for all of us as voters to get educated and to be ready to cast our ballots.
