BROOKINGS Republican voters in Tuesdays primaries decided to go with two new faces on the Brookings County Commission come next year: Doug Post of Volga and Dave Miller of Brookings.
The two men had a total of 1,120 and 1,046 votes respectively, with both having more votes than incumbent Michael D. Bartleys total of 840 votes. The percentages were 37%, 35% and 28%, respectively. The other open seat on the five-member commission came about after current commissioner Ryan Krogman decided not to run for office again.
There will be no general election in November for the county commission, as no Democrats, independents or other parties fielded candidates.
Post and Miller will fill their seats come January.
Voter turnout in Brookings County was, well, on the low side at 12.67%. It wasnt much better at the state level, either, with only 17.09% voter turnout, per the secretary of states website.
That said, a much-heavier turnout is expected for the Nov. 5 general election, which will have a far more populated ballot than Tuesdays did. As such, additional helping hands are always appreciated.
We are always in need of registered voters who would like to take part in the election process by being a poll worker or on a hand-count board, Brookings County Finance Director Lori Schultz told the Brookings Register. Contact the Brookings County Finance Office if you would be interested.
The offices phone number is 605-696-8250.
In other Brookings-area election news from Tuesday night:
District 7 House
There were no surprises at the state level in District 7, which covers Brookings, where Republican state House incumbents Mellissa Heermann and Roger DeGroot, both of Brookings, each gained 781 and 712 votes respectively. Challenger Jeffrey A. Struwe, also of Brookings, received 539 votes. The percentages were 38%, 35% and 27% respectively.
Heermann and DeGroot advance to the Nov. 5 general election, where they will face a contest with Democrats Cole Sartell and Penny S. Hauffe, both of Brookings.
There was no District 7 Senate primary. The Republicans and Democrats fielded one candidate apiece Tim Reed, R-Brookings, and Patty Bacon, D-Brookings and they face off in the Nov. 5 general election.
District 8 Senate
Incumbent Republican state Sen. Casey Crabtree of Madison walloped challenger Rick Weible of Elkton with 2,057 votes (72%) to Weibles 799 total (28%).
This vote decided who goes to Pierre come January, as no Democrats, independents or other parties fielded candidates in District 8.
District 8 House
Republican voters threw their support to Tim Walburg of Madison and Tim Reisch of Howard, who both had more votes than Volgas Matt Wagner. That said, the Republican race here was tighter than on the Senate side of the equation. Vote totals were:
- Wagner: 1,500 (31%)
- Walburg: 1,681 (34%)
- Reisch: 1,728 (35%)
Since there were no Democratic, independent or other party challengers, the two top vote-getters in the GOP primary will take their seats in Pierre come January.
Contact Mondell Keck at [email protected].
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