Absentee voting has started for special primary election for vacant Minnesota U.S. 1st Congressional District seat

Absentee voting is underway for the special primary election for the Minnesota U.S. 1st Congressional District seat formerly held by Republican Representative Jim Hagedorn, who passed away in February at the age of 56 after battling kidney cancer.   

Absentee voting runs through Monday, May 23rd and voters can cast their ballots at the Mower County Auditor/Treasurer’s office at the Mower County Government Center, 201 First Street NE in downtown Austin.  

The primary election takes place on May 24th, with the special election to follow on August 9th.  DFL candidates vying for the seat include former Hormel Foods CEO Jeff Ettinger, Richard W. Painter, George H. Kalberer, Sarah Brakebill-Hacke, Rick DeVoe, Warren Lee Anderson, James Rainwater and Candice Deal-Bartell.  The Republican field includes Hagedorn’s widow and former Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan, Brad Finstad, Jeremy Munson, Kevin Kocina, Roger Ungemach, Matt Benda, J.R. Ewing and Nels Pierson.  Richard B. Reisdorf is running for the seat for the Legalize Marijuana Now Party, and Haroun McClellan is vying for the seat for the Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party.