Primary results set November matchups

Pioneer staff report
BEMIDJI – Results from Tuesday’s primary election now pair candidates for voters when they go to the polls for Nov. 6 general election.
The following is a recap of area primary election results.

Bemidji mayor
Incumbent Mayor Dave Larson will face challenger Rita Albrecht, currently the Ward 4 city councilor.
Larson garnered 41 percent of votes while Albrecht received 50.4 percent. A third candidate, Sachel Josefson, had 8.5 percent.
In total, 963 votes were cast in the city, where there were 7,227 eligible voters. Voter turnout was about 13.3 percent.

Bemidji Ward 5 councilor
Incumbent Councilor Greg Negard will face former Ward 5 councilor Nancy Erickson in the general election.
Negard received 38.4 percent of votes as Erickson garnered 50 percent. A third candidate, Phillip L. Nelson, received 11.6 percent.
There were 254 votes cast, or 14.8 percent of the ward’s 1,720 eligible ballots.

State Senate District 5
Two current senators will face off in the general election following district lines redrawn through redistricting.
In a Democratic primary, Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids, beat Bemidji resident Luverne “Pedie” Pederson 72.4 percent to 27.6 percent.
Sen. John Carlson, R-Bemidji, did not have a primary challenger.

State House 2B
A Republican has been chosen to face a former state representative in the House 2B seat.
Steve Green of Fosston received 53.5 percent of the votes to top David Collins of Park Rapids, who received 46.6 percent of votes.
Green will now face Brita Sailer, a former DFL state senator from Park Rapids, in the general election.