Two candidates now have two weeks to explain to voters in Hennepin County's Third District why they should be the next commissioner representing St. Louis Park as well as southwest and downtown Minneapolis.

Marion Greene and Anne Mavity led the field of six candidates and will square off on the nonpartisan ballot May 13. The winner of that contest will take the seat through the end of the year — the remainder of former Commissioner Gail Dorfman's term. To continue, the winner must run for a full four-year term in the regularly scheduled November election.

Greene collected the most votes with 2,247 while Mavity had 1,768.

Greene served in the Legislature as a DFLer from Minneapolis. Mavity works as a consultant and serves on the St. Louis Park City Council.

The winner of the May 13 election will earn about $100,000 a year.

The new commissioner won't shift the DFL leanings of the board as the candidates said they were eager to claim Dorfman's liberal legacy as an advocate for the homeless and a fighter for economic equality.

Mavity , Hennepin County Board candidate

Besides Greene and Mavity, the other candidates on Tuesday's ballot were: Ben Schweigert (1,564 votes), Ken Kelash (439) and frequent candidates Bob Reuer (90) and Bob "Again" Carney Jr. (157). A total of 6,265 ballots were cast.

Schweigert had never run for office and works as an assistant Hennepin County attorney and legislative liaison for that office. Kelash also served in the Legislature as a DFLer from Minneapolis. He, like Greene, left the Legislature when unfavorable redistricting lines paired them with other Minneapolis legislators.

Dorfman took office in 1999 in a special election. She left to become executive director of St. Stephen's Human Services, a large county contractor for homeless services

With 1.1 million residents, Hennepin County has the largest population in the state. The budget of $1.8 billion is second only to the state's in size.

Rochelle Olson • 612-673-1747

Twitter: @rochelleolson