Minnesota Election Day 2024: St. Cloud School Board, Stearns County Commissioner, and State Senate Seats Up for Grabs

(KNSI) — Today is Election Day in Minnesota, and voters will head to the polls in dozens of cities across the state. Locally, there are two special elections.

Gina Acevedo, Al Dahlgren, and Peter Hamerlinck are all vying to earn the seat on the St. Cloud Area School District 742 School Board vacated by member Bruce Hentges when he stepped down earlier this year due to health reasons.

According to her LinkedIn page, Acevedo is a cultural sensitivity and health equity supervisor for CentraCare. She is “passionate about championing health equity and creating innovative solutions to support diverse and underserved communities.” She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of South Florida.

Dahlgren was first elected to the board in November 2012 and won additional terms in 2016 and 2020. He owns and operates Once Upon a Child in Waite Park, according to Ballotpedia. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business Management from the University of Minnesota.

Hamerlinck is a local real estate agent who also served on the board from 2011 to 2014, losing to Hentges, who had dropped out of the race but was elected anyway and filled the seat. He also ran in 2016 and 2018. Hamerlinck has served the district in other ways, including on the activities committee and legislative committee. He was also the athletic director, but his contract was not renewed in 2021. Hamerlinck holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from St. Cloud State University.

Amin Ali and Bob Johnson are competing for the Stearns County Commissioner District 4 seat, which opened up due to the retirement of Commissioner Leigh Lenzmeier in April.

Ali is a housing expert, youth soccer coach, and community organizer. Johnson is a retired healthcare executive and former executive director for the Paramount Center for the Arts. He served on the St. Cloud City Council for three terms.

There are also special elections at the state level.

In the Senate, Republican Michael Holmstrom is going up against Democrat Louis McNutt in District 29. That election is due to the death of Republican Senator Bruce Anderson earlier this year. The district covers much of Wright County, and parts of Hennepin and Meeker counties.

Representative Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger is running as the Democratic candidate for Senate District 47, which includes Woodbury and part of Maplewood. She is running against Republican Dwight Dorau. That seat became available following the felony burglary conviction of Democratic Senator Nicole Mitchell and her subsequent resignation.

The Senate was tied at 34 seats apiece at the conclusion of the session earlier this year. This election could potentially change the balance of power in that chamber.

To find out where to vote, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Polling Place Finder here.

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