Washington County has 3 primary races in play

For the first time in more than a decade, Washington County will have a new county attorney, and two of five County Board seats are in contention in Tuesday's statewide primary election.

County attorney

Peter Orput, Clayton Robinson and Kevin Shoeberg are seeking to replace Doug Johnson, who has held the office since 1999 after serving 12 years before that as an assistant Washington County attorney.

Orput has picked up backing from several police officers and Teamsters local unions. He lives in Stillwater, and is an assistant county attorney in the violent crime unit of the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.

Robinson, whom Johnson has endorsed, lives in Woodbury and is assistant director of prosecutions in Ramsey County. He is the former city attorney for St. Paul.

Shoeberg, who lives in Stillwater, has his own private law practice. He is a past president of the county bar association.

County Board

Three board seats are in contention this year, but just two will first be filtered through the primary election. Like the county attorney race, it is considered a nonpartisan office, and the top two vote-getters advance to the general election on Nov. 2.

District 2: Board Chairman Bill Pulkrabek, who lives in Oakdale, is seeking a fourth term. He's challenged by Jeff Birttnen and Joseph Delaney Sr., both of Oakdale, and Lake Elmo Mayor Dean Johnston.

District 2 includes Oakdale, Lake Elmo and a portion of northeast Woodbury.

District 4: Myra Peterson has represented the district since 1993. She faces two challengers from Cottage Grove, Autumn Lehrke and Colleen Millard.

District 4 includes the southern quarter of the county, Cottage Grove, St. Paul Park, Newport and Denmark Township.

For a listing of polling locations, go to the county's website at www.co.washington.mn.us/info_for_residents/prts/elections/