Who will - and who won't - be on your 2022 northern Brainerd lakes area election ballot

Find out who will run - and who won’t seek reelection - for area elected offices as several longtime office holders opted not to run again.

Ballots are set for the Nov. 8 general election after two candidate filing periods took place this summer.

Filings closed Aug. 16 for city, township and school board candidates; and May 31 for area county and legislative candidates.

The following area city, township, school board, county and legislative seats will be on the November ballot.

The Echo Journal will publish a Voters Guide on Sept. 28 for contested races for voters to learn what issues candidates seek to address.

• Pequot Lakes School Board (elect 3): Erik Bresnahan, Jacob Thomas Cameron, Brian Hankins, Bryan Held, Mariah Hines, Pamela Johnson, Dena Moody (incumbent), Craig Polchow, Tracy Wallin (incumbent). Derrek Johnson, first elected in 2010, didn’t seek a fourth term.
• Pine River-Backus School Board (elect 4): Leslie Bouchonville (incumbent), Wanda Carlson (incumbent), Ryan Trumble (incumbent). Katy Botz did not file for re-election after serving four full terms and one partial term. The fourth seat will be filled by a write-in vote.

Pequot Lakes City Council: 

• Mayor: Tyler Gardner (incumbent).
• City council (elect 2): Dan Ronning (appointed in January 2021), Cheri Seils (incumbent).

Pine River City Council

• Mayor: Tamara Hansen (incumbent).
• City council (elect 2): Patty Melby (incumbent), Anthony DeSanto (incumbent).

Breezy Point City Council

• Mayor: Angel Zierden. Todd Roggenkamp isn’t seeking a second term as mayor.
• City council (elect 2): Gary Bakken (incumbent), Tom Lillehei (appointed in August 2021), Michael Moroni (incumbent), Brad Scott.
• Special election for two-year city council term: Steve Jensen.

Crosslake City Council

• Mayor: Carla Bainbridge, Donald Andre Chouinard, Dave Nevin (incumbent).
• City council (elect 2): Sandra Farder, Stephen Hanning, Jayme A. Knapp, Jackson Purfeerst. Dave Schrupp did not file for a third term, and John Andrews will not seek a second term.

Nisswa City Council

• Mayor: John Ryan (incumbent).
• City council (elect 2): Cameron Dorion, Mark Froehle (appointed in February 2021), Jesse Zahn (appointed in March 2022). Don Jacobson did not file for a third term.
• Special election for two-year city council term: Joseph Hall.

Jenkins City Council

• Mayor: Charles Hoffman (council member), Debbie Siltman. Jon Lubke, mayor since 2007, is seeking election to the Crow Wing County Board so did not file for another mayoral term.
• City council (elect 2): Bill Ellis, Jerimey Flategraff (appointed council member), Andrew Rudlang (incumbent), Roman Siltman.

Lake Shore City Council

• City council (elect 2): Andrew (Andy) Stewart, John Terwilliger (incumbent). Doug Miller, first elected in 2006, did not file for a fifth four-year term.

Backus City Council

• Mayor: Kurt Sawyer (incumbent).
• City council (elect 2): Ann Birge (incumbent), Rae Borst (incumbent), Nancy Foley, Barb Sherlock.

Fifty Lakes City Council

• Mayor: Steve Dahlke (incumbent).
• City council (elect 2): Mark Bradley (incumbent), Jill Radman. Jodie Schrupp didn’t file for a fourth term.

Manhattan Beach City Council

• Mayor: Paul Allen (incumbent).
• City council (elect 2): Steve Amans, Barbara Ann Wannebo (incumbent).

East Gull Lake City Council

• City council (elect 2): Scott Hoffman (incumbent), James Ruttger (incumbent), Gary Scheeler.

Hackensack City Council

• City council (elect 2): Bruce Reeve (incumbent), Jim Schneider (incumbent).
• Special election city council: John Chuba.

Emily City Council

• Mayor: Tracy Jones (incumbent), Roger (Buddy) Lund.
• City council (elect 2): Bryce Butcher (incumbent), Andrea Donnelly, Andrew Hemphill, Dave Johnson, Gregory Koch, Bill Spiess.

Chickamaw Beach City Council

• Mayor: Murel G. Backman (incumbent).
• City council: Suzanne L. Henk (incumbent).
• Special election for two-year city council term: Richard Behary (incumbent), Donald Johnsen.

• Gail Lake Township: David C. Bramman (incumbent), supervisor seat 2; Donald L. Lohse (incumbent), supervisor seat 3; Catherine Erickson, town clerk.
• Jenkins Township: no one filed for special election for town supervisor seat 1; Edward Walton (incumbent), supervisor seat 2; James Olsen (incumbent), town clerk.
• Lake Edward: Ronald J. Metzen (incumbent), supervisor seat B; Gerald Cain (incumbent), supervisor seat C; Loni Burnard (incumbent), clerk.
• Little Pine: Norman Hawley (incumbent), town supervisor seat B; no one filed for town supervisor seat C; Nan Hawley (incumbent), town treasurer.
• Mission: Bob Steele (incumbent), supervisor seat B; Jon Auge (incumbent), supervisor seat C; Mary Zabilla (incumbent), treasurer.
• Pelican: Giles Radtke (incumbent), town supervisor seat B; Thomas Boldt, special election for supervisor seat C; Samantha Gonczy, town clerk.
• Perry Lake: Ray Montzka (incumbent), supervisor seat 1; Lawrence McKenzie (incumbent), treasurer.
• Ross Lake: Leo Offerman (incumbent), supervisor seat 1; Mark Caspers (incumbent), supervisor seat 2; Elaine Hill (incumbent), treasurer.
• Timothy: No filings reported for town supervisor seat C and town clerk.
• Wolford: Wade DeCent and Cathy Preston, supervisor seat 1; Kimberly Marquart (incumbent), clerk.

• Barclay: William Tollefson (incumbent), town supervisor seat 1; Litta Sears (incumbent), town clerk; Melissa Switajewski, town treasurer.
• Birch Lake: John Freeman (incumbent), town supervisor seat 2; Nicholas Daigle, Andy Bray, Tony Peterson and Andy Becker, town supervisor seat 3.
• Bull Moose: Cary Suzanne Johnson (incumbent), town supervisor seat 1; Jenny Grider (incumbent), town treasurer.
• Bungo: Bill Dabill Jr., supervisor seat 2; Wynn Neumann (incumbent), supervisor seat 3; Kristine Neumann (incumbent), treasurer.
• Deerfield: Terry Holden, town supervisor seat 3; Lisa Kriens (incumbent), town clerk.
• Fairview: Walter Richmond (incumbent), town supervisor seat 1; Tony Cyr and Roger Osell, town supervisor seat 3.
• Hiram: No filings reported for supervisor seat 3, special election for clerk, treasurer.
• Home Brook: Jason Eastman (incumbent), supervisor seat 2; Dave Sprau and Jeremiah J. Duvall, supervisor seat 3; Jill Frieler (incumbent), treasurer.
• Loon Lake: Kurtis G. Moody, supervisor seat 2; Randy Ryan (incumbent), supervisor seat 3; Barb Gravdahl (incumbent), treasurer.
• Maple: Gerald (Jerry) Campbell (incumbent), supervisor seat 3; Debbie Hensch (incumbent), treasurer.
• Pine River: Butch Oberfell (incumbent), supervisor seat 1; Steve Skaro (incumbent), special election for supervisor seat 3; Barbara Wagner (incumbent), clerk.
• Ponto Lake: Robert Litke (incumbent), supervisor seat 3; Jenna Prososki, clerk.
• Powers: LeRoy Jordan (incumbent), supervisor seat 2.
• Walden: Dylan Liane (incumbent), supervisor seat 2.
• Wilson: Alan L. Johnson (incumbent), supervisor seat 2; no filings reported for supervisor seat 3; Jerry Peterson (incumbent), treasurer.

• Commissioner District 1: Neal Gaalswyk (incumbent), East Gull Lake.
• Commissioner District 4: Scott D. Bruns (incumbent), Walker; Steve Erickson, Hackensack.
• Recorder: Kathryn “Katie” M. Norby (incumbent), Backus.
• Sheriff: Chris Thompson, campaign address of Walker; Bryan Welk, Remer.
• County attorney: Benjamin T. Lindstrom (incumbent), Chickamaw Beach.
• Soil and water supervisor, District 1: Thomas Kuschel (incumbent), Sebeka.
• Soil and water supervisor, District 5: Jennifer O’Neill, Walker; Jon D. Osowski, Walker; Bob Wright, Walker.

• Commissioner District 2: Jon W. Lubke, Jenkins; Robin M. Sylvester, Pequot Lakes.
• Commissioner District 3: Steve Barrows (incumbent), Baxter; Tad A. Erickson, Brainerd.
• Commissioner District 4: Rosemary R. Franzen (incumbent), Baxter; Troy Kenneth Scheffler, Merrifield.
• Sheriff: Scott Goddard, Breezy Point (incumbent); Eric Klang.
• County attorney: Donald F. Ryan (incumbent).
• Soil and water supervisor, District 2: Diane Jacobson (incumbent), Brainerd.
• Soil and water supervisor, District 3: Roger Waytashek, Crosby.

• Senate District 5: Paul J. Utke, R-Park Rapids (incumbent); A. John Peters, DFL, Browerville.

District 5 includes parts of Cass, Hubbard, Wadena and Becker counties, including the area cities of Backus, Chickamaw Beach, East Gull Lake, Hackensack, Lake Shore and Pine River, along with the area townships of Barclay, Bull Moose, Bungo, Deerfield, Fairview, Home Brook, Loon Lake, McKinley, Pine River, Powers, Walden and Wilson.

• Senate District 6: Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids (incumbent); Steve Samuelson, DFL, Brainerd.

Senate District 6 includes parts of Cass County, including Ponto Lake Township in the Echo Journal coverage area; northern two-thirds of Crow Wing County; parts of Itasca County.

• House District 5A: Krista Knudsen, Republican, Lake Shore; Brian M. Hobson, DFL, Park Rapids.

House District 5A includes parts of Cass, Hubbard, Wadena and Becker counties, including the area cities of Backus, Chickamaw Beach, East Gull Lake, Hackensack, Lake Shore and Pine River, along with the area townships of Barclay, Bull Moose, Bungo, Deerfield, Fairview, Home Brook, Loon Lake, McKinley, Pine River, Powers, Walden and Wilson.

• House District 6A: Ben Davis, Republican, Merrifield; Richard (Rick) Blake, DFL, Grand Rapids.

House District 6A includes the cities of Crosslake, Manhattan Beach, Fifty Lakes, Emily, Crosby, Ironton and Deerwood, along with Fairfield, Ideal, Little Pine, Mission, Ross Lake, Perry Lake, Timothy and Wolford townships in Crow Wing County; and Ponto Lake Township in Cass County, among other Cass County communities. This district also includes part of Itasca County, including Grand Rapids and Cohasset

• House District 6B: Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa (incumbent); Sally Boos, DFL, Baxter. 

House District 6B includes most of western Crow Wing County, including the cities of Brainerd, Baxter, Pequot Lakes, Nisswa, Merrifield, Jenkins and Breezy Point.