In one corner stood Myra Peterson, a 17-year veteran of the Washington County board and a champion for public transportation initiatives.
In the other was challenger Autumn Lehrke, a candidate with no experience in public office.
And the winner of the District 4 county commission seat? It's Lehrke, who attracted 53 percent of the vote to represent Cottage Grove, Denmark Township, Newport, St. Paul Park and Grey Cloud Island Township in January.
"She ran a good campaign, she knocked on a lot of doors, she ran a very strategic campaign," Peterson said. "I certainly wish her well. She's going to have to make some very difficult decisions."
In two other races on the five-seat board, which meets weekly in Stillwater, incumbents Bill Pulkrabek and Lisa Weik won by large margins.
County commissioners have struggled to bring expenses into line with declining revenue. In September, commissioners voted for a zero percent increase in next year's county property tax levy.
Lehrke, who was unavailable to comment for this story, campaigned for a "fresh voice" on the board and said taxpayers need a better understanding of the cost of a proposed Red Rock transit corridor that would run through Cottage Grove.
At 28, Lehrke is by far the youngest member of the five-member board. She is a graduate student, manager of a Super America store in Maplewood and owns a real estate and property company with her husband, Derrick. (He also was elected to office Tuesday, winning a spot on the Cottage Grove City Council.)
