Fergus Falls, MN – Tomorrow (November 5th) is Election Day and possibly one of the most important days in recent history, as months of social divide comes together into a single night of voting.
While Minnesota isn’t one of the key battleground states for the Presidential Race, it is still important for you to vote, especially on the local elections here in Fergus Falls.
When and Where to Vote and Get Election Results
Polling places around the state will open up at 7 o’clock Tuesday morning and close at 8 in the evening. If you have received an absentee ballot and have not mailed it in, it is recommended that you bring your vote into your polling place and turn it in to the election officials. Click here to find your polling place.
KBRF and Leighton Media will be making live reports across our platforms beginning when the polls close at 8 p.m. On the News Talk 1250 KBRF radio station, there will be local reports twice per hour, plus national and state coverage throughout the night. The local reports will consist of local city and county races, as well as school board and school bond referendum coverage. We will also be going live on Facebook with local updates near the end of each hour. And most importantly, we will have live coverage of all the local, county and relevant state races on kbrfradio.com and the Fergus Now App.
Fergus Falls City Council
The City Council has had multiple controversies over the last few years, from beginning the process of selling the Pebble Lake Golf Course for $1 and franchise fees, to the zoning of downtown cannabis businesses and failing to vote in a new council member. With the promise of a new mayor and half of the council seats being up for election, there is an opportunity for changes to the future direction of the Council.
Here are the candidates for the Fergus Falls City Council:
- Mayor: Anthony Hicks and Scott Kvamme
- Ward 1: Jim Fish, Darren Appert, and Jacob Buettner
- Ward 2: Lonnie Ballweg, Lea Oswald, and Mark Leighton
- Ward 3: Nate Kunde and Mike Mortenson
- Ward 4: Laurel Kilde
In September, the Fergus Falls Chamber of Commerce and Leighton Media hosted a series of Meet the Candidates events. Click here to watch the event for Wards 1 and 2, and here for Wards 3 and 4 and the Mayoral race.
The Fergus Falls School District
In School District 544, there are two major votes happening: new school board members and the school bod referendum.
In Tuesday’s election, there are three seats of the Fergus Falls School Board up for election, with nine candidates on the ballot. In recent weeks, Facebook pages have been blowing up with anonymous posts about various school board candidates, to the point where users have labeled many of the posts as bullying. The School Board election is a point of contention for many voters, as there are many people who strongly support or oppose the current board.
Here is a list of the candidates for Fergus Falls School District 544 School Board:
- Zachary Blumberg
- Kristina Bradley-Khan
- Jeney Christensen
- Kristina Glas
- Kelli Graff
- Arden Kjono
- Tim Nanson
- Micah Narimani
- Stephen Vigesaa
There is also a two-part bond referendum to be voted on in regards to the construction of a new 3rd-5th grade school. The first question on the ballot will ask if the school board will be authorized to issue $48.84 million in bonds to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the construction and equipping of a new grades 3-5 elementary school facility. The second question asks, if the first question is approved, shall the school board also be authorized to issue $910,000 in bonds for the construction of soccer and baseball fields at the new facility.
This vote is also controversial among local voters. Some people think that the current facilities should instead be updated and maintained, and that building a new school is a waste of taxpayer money, while others support the idea of a new facility.
Another issue many have with the referendum is that it is almost identical to the one that was voted on and failed in a special election back in May. Some voters have said that the community voted no the first time and the school board is refusing to take no for an answer. Superintendent Jeff Drake has said that the school board listened to the feedback from the first referendum and made changes to the new proposal in hopes of satisfying more residents.
Otter Tail County Commissioners
There are three County Commissioner seats up for election this year. Current District 1 Commissioner Dan Bucholz is currently running unopposed. In District 3, incumbent Commissioner Kurt Mortenson is being challenged by Greg Anderson.
Finally, Sean Sullivan and current Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer are running for the open seat in District 5 after Commissioner Lee Rogness announced in May that he would not be running for reelection.
Click here to watch the Otter Tail County Meet the Candidates event.
Vote
Tomorrow’s election is full of controversy on every level of election: local, county, state, and national. It’s important that everyone exercises their right to vote, as everyone’s voice deserves to be heard, and every vote counts.
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