A mind of their own
KIDS VOTING
If the decision were up to Crow Wing County children, the next president would be Republican John McCain.
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In the Kids Voting ballot, youths who went with their parents to the polls supported McCain with 903 votes to Democrat Barack Obama who received 807 votes.
"I think you can see by the vote, kids do not follow the adult vote," said Nancy Cross, Brainerd Community Action executive director. "They have their own minds."
In the U.S. Senate race, Sen. Norm Coleman received 852 votes and Democrat challenger Al Franken received 503 votes.
On the Minnesota outdoor amendment, youths supported dedicated funding 623-212.
Voters cast their ballots in the former sanctuary at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Baxter. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls » Purchase reprints of this photo.
In Crow Wing County District 1, Philip "P.J." Trusty garnered 443 votes and Frank Ball received 398. In the Crow Wing District 5 race, Doug Houge defeated Daniel Lewis Hamm 402-291.
In Brainerd, the results were:
Brainerd Ward 1, Ed Shaw, 310, and Lucy Nesheim, 234.
Brainerd Ward 3, Barbara Egan, 212, Kevin Goedker, 208, and Howard J. Brewer, 104.
Brainerd at-large, David L. Colvin, 1,108, Bob Olson, 131, Mark Koep, 128, Steven J. Wolff, 102, Mark C. O'Day, 93, and Wayne Durant, 69.
In Baxter, Mark Cross received 591 votes, Todd Holman, 129, and Gary Muehlhausen, 79.
In Nisswa, the result was Gary Johnson, 330, Tina Foster, 42, Bob Draving, 22, and Harold Kraus, 14.
Students in kindergarten through sixth-grade believe families should be required to recycle their garbage by a vote of 939-224.
Volunteer Jeff Hilborn explained the ballot Tuesday night to Taylor Ludwig at the Kids Voting site at Baxter City Hall. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls » Purchase reprints of this photo.
Seventh- through 12th-graders believe the legal voting age should be lowered to 17 by a vote of 481-402.
A total of 1,928 students voted.
Cross commended the work of Theresa Goble, Brainerd finance director, and Shawn Rasmussen of Syvantis Technologies. There were 130 volunteers helping, too.
KATHI NAGORSKI may be reached at kathi.nagorski@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5859.