Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RICHARD JENKINS
rjenkins@yourdailyglobe.com
Hurley — Iron County voters head to the polls Tuesday in Wisconsin’s primary election, and although the lack of a single contested race takes much of the suspense out of the day, there are a number a federal, local and state contests to be decided.
Voters will have to choose from between one of three ballots, choosing which party primary they wish to participate in — the Democratic primary, Republican primary or the Constitution Party’s primary.
Four county-level races are on the ballot, according to Iron County Clerk Michael Saari, with the winners of the contests advancing to the Nov. 3 general election.
The offices are Iron County clerk, treasurer, register of deeds and district attorney. On the Democratic ticket, Saari is seeking another term as clerk, and Iron County Treasurer Clara Maki and Register of Deeds Dan Soine are both seeking re-election as well. Although no name appears on the Democratic ballot for district attorney, Saari said local attorney Doug Muskett has filed papers to run as a registered write-in candidate and needs to receive 200 votes to appear on the November ballot.
On the Republican side, district attorney Matt Tingstad is running for re-election and former Mercer town clerk Christan Brandt is looking to challenge Saari in November. No Republicans have filed to run for the offices of treasurer or register of deeds.
At the state level, state Rep. Beth Meyers, D-Bayfield, is unopposed in her bid for another term on her party’s ballot, while Republican James Bolen is looking for the chance to play spoiler in November.
Nationally, Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, is seeking to be elected to his first full term representing Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Tricia Zunker is looking to advance in the Democratic primary to face Tiffany in November.
If those two names seem familiar, the Zunker-Tiffany contest features the same two candidates as the special election in May that Tiffany won to finish the remainder of former Rep. Sean Duffy’s term following Duffy’s resignation in 2019.
Although ballots for the Constitution Party have been printed, Saari said no names appear on them.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.