Two Candidates Out, City No Longer Poised for Primary

UPDATE (June 2, 3:45 p.m.)

According to the city of Minnetonka, two of the eight local residents who had filed as candidates for this fall's Minnetonka City Council election, have officially withdrawn their names from consideration. That means an August primary is no longer necessary. 

Martha Vargas, who filed as a candidate on May 26 and Kathleen Riley-Daniels, who filed as a candidate on May 31, had both hoped to clinch the city's Ward 1 city council seat, which is currently held by Bob Ellingson. 

Since both Vargas and Riley-Daniels filed affidavits of withdrawal on Thursday, the Ward 1 race is now between Ellingson and Peggy Kvam and will be decided in the November general election. 

Calls to Vargas and Riley-Daniels, for comment, have not been returned. 

ORIGINAL STORY (May 31, 6:00 p.m.)

Any Minnetonka resident who wanted to file as a candidate for this fall’s city council election had from May 17 through yesterday to do it. And as of the 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline, eight locals had thrown their hats into the ring.

Because four of those residents all hope to clinch the same city council seat, a primary election will be held Aug. 9. Peggy Kvam, Martha Vargas and Kathleen Riley-Daniels are running against two-term incumbent Bob Ellingson—all four are vying to represent Minnetonka’s Ward 1.

Ellingson, who ran unopposed four years ago, told Minnetonka Patch that he's proud to be part of a city council that has kept Minnetonka fiscally healthy as a city, and that he hopes to continue in that role. 

"Things run pretty well in Minnetonka [and] most people are happy to live here and happy with the services the city provides," Ellingson said. "We have balanced the budget—a major accomplishment that will keep the city in good shape for the future."

Ellingson-challenger, Kvam also stressed the importance of financial restraint.

“I look forward to representing the Ward in the planning for two proposed Light Rail Transit stations on the Southwest Corridor line,” she said. “I will be conscientious with our tax dollars and responsive to our residents."

Jason Iannone filed as a candidate for the Ward 4 city council spot. He will be running against incumbent James Hiller this fall. Meanwhile, the incumbents who represent the remaining two city council wards open this election cycle, Tony Wagner (Ward 2) and Brad Wiersum (Ward 3) will both run unopposed in November.

The Minnetonka City Council is made up of the , and six council members, four of whom are elected by ward and two who are elected at large. Each member serves a four-year term. Up for grabs this cycle are the all four ward seats. The Mayor and two at-large council seats will be up for reelection in November 2013.

According to Minnetonka City Clerk David Maeda, historically Minnetonka has held a primary for ward elections, the last one happening during the race for Minnetonka’s Ward 4 seat, in 2007. But, Maeda said, the city did not hold a primary for the Mayor and two at-large council seats, during the 2009 election cycle.

The city’s traditional September primary moved to the second Tuesday in August this year, in order to meet a federal mandate to assist military and overseas voters in having their votes counted. A federal law change requires that absentee ballots for military and overseas voters be available at least 45 days prior to an election.

The eight candidates who have officially filed for the city council elections have until June 2 to withdraw their names. The date of the general election is November 8. For information or for answers to voting questions, see the city’s website.

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