Candidate puts stress on fairness

Joel Spoonheim, 36, the Independence Party candidate for Minnesota secretary of state, said accessibility and fair elections are two of the primary priorities he will emphasize if elected.

Spoonheim addressed these issues on a campaign swing through the Brainerd area this week. The 1,200-mile trip, in which he visited 45 communities in six days, included a candidate forum at Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge near Deerwood.

He wants the office to be accessible to citizens and small businesses and said he would be a problem-solver.

Spoonheim's experience includes being director of economic development for Brooklyn Park, co-founder of Civics Connection and a city planner for St. Paul.

Other candidates for secretary of state include Mark Ritchie, a DFLer; incumbent Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer, a Republican; and Bruce Kennedy, an independent (no party affiliation).

MIKE O'ROURKE can be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.