Incumbents reigned supreme in the majority of Washington County mayoral races on Tuesday, with voters electing to retain the status quo in Birchwood, Grant, Lake St. Croix Beach, Landfall, Oak Park Heights, Pine Springs and Scandia.
But elections officials cautioned that all results are unofficial until they are certified. This year, many counties may have a backlog of absentee ballots to count, so complete results could be delayed. Also, state officials plan to count all ballots postmarked by Election Day, but received later. Those have yet to be counted, and they may be subject to a court challenge.
Those absentee ballots could be key in at least two very tight races. In Marine on St. Croix, former council member Kevin Nyenhuis was leading longtime mayor Glen Mills, 262 votes to 260 votes, on Tuesday night. It was a dead-tie in Grey Cloud Island Township, where supervisor Raymond Kaiser and his challenger, Dick Polta, both received 84 votes.
Also of note: In Lakeland Shores, where no one filed to run in a special election for City Council, there were 11 write-in votes.
In the Washington County board races, the incumbents — Fran Miron, Gary Kriesel and Lisa Weik — all won re-election.
AFTON
Mayor Bill Palmquist ran unopposed. In Ward 1, incumbent Annie Perkins defeated Bob Dickie, 62 to 37 percent. Randy Nelson ran unopposed for the Ward 4 council seat.
BAYPORT
Mayor Susan St. Ores ran unopposed. Elected to the council were: incumbent Connie Carlson and Ethan Gilmore.
BIRCHWOOD VILLAGE
In the mayoral race, incumbent Mary Wingfield got 60 percent of the vote, defeating Michael McKenzie. Elected to the council were Mark Foster and Justin McCarthy.
COTTAGE GROVE
Mayor Myron Bailey ran unopposed, and incumbents LaRae Mills and Justin Olsen were re-elected.
DELLWOOD
Mayor Mike McGill ran unopposed. In the council race, incumbent Scott St. Martin was re-elected with 31 percent of the vote; Deb Flaherty Christopherson received 25 percent.
DENMARK TOWNSHIP
In the race for Seat 1, Dawn Johnson won with 47 percent of the vote. Incumbent John Strohfus ran unopposed for Seat 3.
FOREST LAKE
Mayor Mara Bain ran unopposed. In the council race, council member Sam Husnik and Hanna Valento were elected, with 30 percent and 27 percent of the vote respectively.
GRANT
Mayor Jeff Huber held off a challenge from former city council member Larry Lanoux, winning 61 percent of the vote. Incumbents Tom Carr and Jeff Schafer won re-election.
LAKE ELMO
In the mayoral race, planning commission chairman Charles Cadenhead defeated council member Justin Bloyer, 60 percent to 40 percent. Elected to the council were: Jeff Holtz and Katrina Beckstrom.
LAKELAND
Lakeland City Council member Joe Paiement defeated Mayoral Richard Glasgow, 67 percent to 32 percent. In the city council race, Robert Craggs and Doug Sand were leading with 31 percent and 20 percent. In the special election for the council member at large, incumbent Michael Thron won with 63 percent.
LAKE ST. CROIX FALLS
Mayor Tom McCarthy held off a challenge by city council member Dawn Bulera, winning 64 percent to 35 percent. Elected to the council were: incumbent J.P. Armstrong and former city clerk Cindie Reiter.
LANDFALL
Mayor Stan Suedkamp defeated two challengers with 49 percent of the vote. Elected to the council were: incumbent Katie McManus and Jim Dumer.
MARINE ON ST. CROIX
The race for the two city council seats was close. Incumbent Lon Pardun was leading with 33 percent; Wendy Ward received 29.1 percent, and council member Bill Miller received 28.7 percent.
NEWPORT
Challenger Laurie Elliott defeated Mayor Dan Lund in the mayor race, 53 percent to 47 percent. Elected to the council were: Marvin Taylor and incumbent Kevin Chapdelaine.
OAKDALE
In a crowded race for two council seats, incumbents Kevin Zabel and Jake Ingebrigtson were leading with 25 percent and 14 percent of the vote.
OAK PARK HEIGHTS
Mayor Mary McComber held off a challenge from council member Mark Swenson, receiving 53 percent of the vote. Council members Mike Runk and Chuck Dougherty were re-elected.
PINE SPRINGS
Mayor Frank Bastyr defeated Eric Mead with 56 percent of the vote. Elected to the council were William Feely and Brandon Dahl, who ran unopposed.
SCANDIA
Mayor Christine Maefsky held off a challenge from former mayor Randall Simonson, winning 63 percent of the vote. Elected to the council were: Heather Benson and incumbent Steve Kronmiller.
WOODBURY
Elected to the council were incumbent Andrea Date and Kim Wilson.