Posted on Wed, Feb. 16, 2005_krdDartInc++;document.write('');
Carter, Harris capture primary
Two to compete for Haigh seat in March 15 special election
BY LAURA YUEN
Pioneer Press
Toni Carter and Anne Harris easily defeated four other candidates in a special
primary election Tuesday for a shot to serve on the Ramsey County Board of
Commissioners.
Voters resoundingly backed the DFL-endorsed Carter, a part-time language arts
teacher and St. Paul school board chairwoman. She drew 1,744 votes out of a
total of 3,579, or 49 percent. Harris, executive director of the Make-A-Wish
Foundation of Minnesota, received 1,313 votes, or about 37 percent of the total
count.
The two candidates will square off in a special general election March 15 to
replace the seat vacated by former 4th District Commissioner Susan Haigh.
Although Carter emerged as the clear champion, she humbly pointed out Tuesday's
sparse turnout at the polls. Only about 6.3 percent of the area's voting
population in the west-central district voted.
"These are small numbers," said Carter, who has experienced her share of
elections with the school board. "I'm not used to these."
Carter said her team of supporters who have cranked up the mailings, phone
calls and door-knockings in the past couple of weeks made an impression on
voters. And, because of her past involvement with the community, voters
realized the sincerity of her pledges, she said.
"People really understand that this is not a one-time, new presentation being
made out of a campaign," said Carter, who teaches at Crosswinds Middle School
in Woodbury.
If Carter wins the general election, she would have to surrender her seat on
the school board because Ramsey County's charter forbids county commissioners
from holding any other elected office.
Harris also credited the intensity of her grassroots campaign but acknowledged
the next month will be equally rigorous. "I was given permission to get tonight
off, and that was about it," she said. "I think we're getting back out there
tomorrow.
A former director of the Dorothy Day Center, Harris has called attention to the
weakening safety net of social services for the homeless and the hungry. While
those are her personal passions, "I'm going to continue to push improving the
quality of life for all people," she said.
Harris described herself as the contender most familiar with the particulars of
county government. She once headed the St. Paul/Ramsey County Children's
Initiative and worked under Haigh as an interim legislative aide.
Haigh left the seat last month to become director of the Twin Cities Habitat
for Humanity.
Joe Samargia, once a state Department of Jobs and Training commissioner, came
in a distant third with 363 votes. Samargia was followed by University of
Minnesota senior and Republican-endorsed Cassandra Kuball with 66 votes;
radiographer Mary Anfang Casebolt with 64 votes; and frequent candidate for
office Sharon Scarrella Anderson with 29 votes.
---------------------------------
Laura Yuen can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 651-228-5498.
The Goldsteins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Here are the results of the county election site:
COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 4
Total
Number of Precincts
28
Precincts Reporting
28
Total Votes
3579
MARY (ANFANG) CASEBOLT
64
JOE SAMARGIA
363
ANNE HARRIS
1313
CASSANDRA KUBALL
66
TONI CARTER
1744
SHARON S ANDERSON
29
Jules Goldstein
Mac Grove
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