Sheriff Steve Pott was the top vote getter in the Sept. 12 primary, but Forest Lake voters saw the contest otherwise, giving the most votes to challenger Bill Hutton.

With all 87 precincts in Washington County reported, Pott finished first in the three-way race, garnering a total of 10,108 votes or 48.69 percent. Pott is making his first bid for elective office after being appointed sheriff in 2005.

Hutton placed second with 6978 votes or 33.61 percent of the total.

Both Pott and Hutton move on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.

Eliminated on Sept. 12 was the third contestant, Pete Crum of Scandia. Crum collected 3673 votes or 17.69 percent in his bid to move to the Nov. 7 ballot.

FLís vote total

Forest Lake voters, however, turned out stronger for Hutton, who at one time was executive director of the Forest Lake Youth Service Bureau.

With all five Forest Lake precincts tallied, Hutton was the top vote getter here with 410 votes. Pott was second with 339 votes while Crum was third with 129 votes.

Hutton won four of the five Forest Lake precincts.

A total of 916 voters turned out in the five Forest Lake precincts on Sept. 12. That represents 8.67 percent of the 10,567 registered voters in the city as of 7 a.m. on election day last week, according to city officials.

Statewide, just under 14 percent of eligible voters took part in the primary election, according to the Minnesota Secretary of Stateís Office.

Other precincts

In New Scandia Township, Crum was the winner, collecting 246 votes from his neighbors while Pott picked up 119 and Hutton 140.

Crum also won in Marine, picking up 65 votes compared to Pottís 42 and Huttonís 36.

In May Township, Pott was the leading vote getter with 157. Hutton was second with 126 while Crum received 69.

Hutton showed more strength in the northern precincts by winning all four Hugo voting areas.

In the four precincts, Hutton captured a total of 192 votes. Pott was second with 139 while Crum had 80.

In all 87 county precincts, a total of 20,279 ballots were cast in the sheriffís primary.

Johnson is out

Current Chisago County Attorney Katherine Johnson wonít be standing for reelection this year.

In a three-way primary for the county post last week, challengers Janet Reiter and Timothy Ryan finished first and second, respectively, thus ending Johnsonís bid for reelection to a second four-year term as county attorney.

Reiter won the primary with 38.26 percent of the vote or 1351 votes.

Ryan, who lost a narrow contest to Johnson in 2002, was second with 36.76 percent and 1298 votes.

Johnson received just under 25 percent of the total vote in the Sept. 12 primary with 882 ballots in her favor.

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Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
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