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Primaries are today -- but not all can vote
The challenge for St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman's seat is one of relatively few high-profile contests, which are spread throughout the state.
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Playful moment after waiting to vote at the Minneapolis Urban League
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Today is Primary Day in Minnesota -- but it's a far cry from a statewide election.
Contested primaries are scattered across the state, generally outnumbered by single-candidate contests that hold no suspense. And high-profile races are few and far between.
Relatively speaking, the St. Paul mayor's race might qualify, with frontrunners Mayor Chris Coleman and challenger Eva Ng facing off, along with two others.
Coleman, 48, a DFLer, has advanced without any competition from within his party. Ng, 50, is stepping into politics for the first time and was endorsed by the city's Republican Party; she's running as a nonpartisan because it's a nonpartisan election.
Perennial candidates Sharon Anderson and Bill Dahn also will be on the ballot.
The primary will whittle the field to two candidates for the Nov. 3 general election.
Across the river in Minneapolis, no primary is being held because the city is forgoing it to employ ranked-choice voting for the first time in November.
Here's a partial listing of other contested primaries across the Twin Cities metro area:
BLOOMINGTON: The primary contest is for an at-large city council seat now held by Karen Nordstrom, who joined the council in 2006. She is seeking reelection, and John (Stretch) Kjenstad, Tom Tomlinson and Ryan Gopaul also filed for the seat. The top two vote-getters today will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.
ST. LOUIS PARK: Three candidates have filed for the Fourth Ward seat and will have a primary run-off. They are Julia Ross, Thomas Peterson and Bill Theobald. Two advance.
MAPLEWOOD: Six people are vying to unseat Mayor Diana Longrie: Bob Cardinal, Fran Grant, Marvin Koppen, Will Rossbach, Ken Smart and John Wykoff. Two advance.
Candidates vying for two city council seats are Julie Binko, Mark Bradley Sr., Rebecca Cave, Dave Hafner, Kathy Juenemann (incumbent), James Llanas, Mary Mackey, Robert Martin, Dick Seppala, DelRay Rokke and Elizabeth Sletten. Four advance.
WHITE BEAR LAKE: The mayor is not seeking reelection. Candidates for the job are Jo Emerson, Zachary Morgan, John Rhodes and Renee Tessier. Two advance.
The candidates for one city council opening are Kevin Edberg, Pam Johnson (incumbent) and Nancy Rea Poferl. Two advance.
ST. PAUL SCHOOLS: The candidates for three four-year seats are John Brodrick (incumbent), Chris Conner, Richard Easton, Tom Goldstein (incumbent), John Krenik, Jean O'Connell and Elona Street-Stewart (incumbent). Six advance.
Four other candidates are running in a special election to fill out the remaining two years of former board member Tom Conlon's term. The candidates are Quyen Nguyen, Pat Igo, Lucky Rosenbloom and Vallay Varro. Two advance.
Bob von Sternberg • 612-673-7184
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Current state office holders
Governor: Tim Pawlenty
One of only a few prominent Republicans to win a competitive re-election contest in the Democratic sweep of 2006, Tim Pawlenty is widely seen as politically shrewd and naturally likable.
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