DULUTH — The filing period for the city’s next local election closed Tuesday, setting the stage for three primary elections to narrow the field of candidates and three races where a primary will be unnecessary.
Incumbent Mayor Emily Larson, who is seeking her third term, faces a field of four challengers, including Julie A. Mead, Jesse Peterson, Roger Reinert and Robert David Schieve. Following an Aug. 8 primary, two mayoral candidates will advance to the general election in November.
Absentee voting for local races will begin June 23.
The race for two at large seats also will require a primary election, with eight candidates in the hunt, including incumbent Arik Forsman. Other candidates seeking to represent the whole of Duluth include: Ashlie Castaldo, Asher Estrin-Haire, Lynn Marie Nephew, Miranda Pacheco, Shawn Savela, Therese Wisocki and Jenna Yeakle.
The primary will cut that field of at large candidates in half, with just the four top vote-getters proceeding to the general election. Each local voter will be allowed to vote for two candidates in this at large race.
The only other primary for city elections this year will occur in Duluth’s 4th District, representing Lincoln Park, Piedmont Heights and Duluth Heights neighborhoods.
Previously, 4th District incumbent Hannah Alstead announced her intentions to step down at the end of this year, and five candidates have filed to seek the seat she will leave vacant: Howie Hanson, Nathaniel James Rankin, Tara Swenson, Salaam F. Witherspoon and Bruce Firmin Woodman.
No primary will be required in Duluth’s 3rd District, where Councilor Roz Randorf is running unopposed, virtually guaranteeing her election come November. Randorf represents Duluth’s downtown and Hillside and Park Point neighborhoods.
Primaries also will be unnecessary in Duluth’s 1st and 5th districts, where only two candidates have filed in each race.
With incumbent 1st District Councilor Gary Anderson deciding not to seek a third term — representing Duluth’s easternmost neighborhoods, including Lester Park, Lakeside, Woodland and Hunters Park — just two candidates will compete for the vacant seat: Wendy Durrwachter and Timothy Meyer.
Meanwhile, incumbent 5th District incumbent and Council President Janet Kennedy will face just one challenger, Ginka Tarnowski, in the general election, with no need to hold a primary in advance. The 5th District encompasses the westernmost neighborhoods, including Gary-New Duluth, Morgan Park. Denfeld, Irving, Fond du Lac and Cody.
Peter Passi covers city government for the Duluth News Tribune. He joined the paper in April 2000, initially as a business reporter but has worked a number of beats through the years.
