By Manda Lillie On the ballot for this off-year election are choices for 6th District Judges. The City of Duluth falls under the 6th Judicial District, which is one of 10 Congressional Districts in Minnesota.
The 6th District is composed of 4 counties, and has 16 judges.
According to the Secretary of State website, judges in the district court have jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases.
Judges are elected to six-year-terms. Vacancies are filled by appointments by the governor. Judges have no party designation. The district judges elect a chief judge and assistant chief judge. Chief judges make $135,580 annual salary, judges, $129,124.
Judges Terrance M. Aronson , Mark Munger ,John E. DeSanto, and Assistant Chief Judge Heather L. Sweetland are all up for reelection and running unopposed.
Judge Kenneth A. Sandvik will not be returning to the bench, he is retiring, reported the Duluth News Tribune. Running for his place as the 11th jude in the district are Timothy A. Costley and Mike Cuzzo.
On Sunday Aug. 1, the Hillsider posted a Q & A with the two candidates vying for the position of the 11th Judge.
Also on the ballot are judges running for the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
The Secretary of State website said the Court of Appeals' jurisdiction is over the decisions made by District Courts. The court is composed of 19 judges that are elected without party designation for six-year-terms. Vacancies are filled by governor's appointments, and the governor also appoints the position of chief judge. The annual salary for a chief judge is $144,429, judge is $137,552.
Running again, without challengers are judges Natalie E. Hudson, David Minge, Wilhelmina Wright, Louise Bjorkman, Michelle Larkin, Matthew Johnson, Heidi Schellhas, and Francis Connolly.
Running with challengers are Radolph Peterson against Roxann Klugman (no information could be found in time to publish) and Larry Stauber against Dan Griffin.
Finally, judicial candidates on the Minnesota Supreme Court are also up for re-election. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction in all cases prescribed by law. Also, in all cases the Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction.
There is one chief justice and six associate justices, which are elected by the people for six-year terms. Vacancies are also filled by governor appointment. Justices have no party designation, they apply for a specific judicial office designated by a ballot seat number.
Judge Helen Meyer is incumbent and challenged by Greg Wersal.
Judge Alan Page is also incumbent being challenged by Tim Tingelstad.