Cass elects two new commissioners

WALKER -- Cass County will have two new commissioners.

Robert (Bob) Kangas defeated two-term incumbent John Stranne with 1,206 votes over Stranne's 1,063 in District 2, covering the Pine River area.

Dick Downham drew 905 votes to defeat 32-year veteran Virgil Foster, who drew 786 votes in District 5, covering the northern Cass area.

Rusty Lilyquist of Longville, who was elected in a June special election this year, narrowly defeated Ted Mellby of Hackensack again, gathering 1,377 votes to Mellby's 1,332.

First District Commissioner Jim Demgen, who ran unopposed in southern Cass, drew 2,292 votes. Fourth District Commissioner Jim Dowson of Walker received 1,662 votes in his race without opposition.

Sheriff Randy Fisher was re-elected with 9,702 votes, compared with the 1,846 cast for challenger Max Loewe.

Other unopposed Cass positions where voters returned incumbents included Auditor-Treasurer Sharon Anderson, Recorder Kathryn (Katie) Norby, County Attorney Earl Maus and Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisors Tom Kuschel and Harold Bruns.