Friday, July 12, 2013

Ramsey - Help needed, with respect to who the two Ward 1 candidates are, and how voters can contact them.

JULY 30, WARD 1 SPECIAL ELECTION: Is it just my web search error, or has City of Ramsey decided to downplay the special election by removing the previously posted filing information identifying the two candidates? I cannot find that now online on the City's website. For the record the two candidates are, in alphabetical order, (per the below link):

Tom Heifort
Jill Johns

http://abcnewspapers.com/2013/06/12/two-run-for-open-ramsey-council-seat/

That June 12 link is the first reporting I am aware of on the special election.

Candidate names are also mentioned in past Strib (last paragraph), and PiPress reporting; the PiPress item stating near its end:

The city will hold a special election to replace him [David Elvig] July 30.

Jill Johns and Tom Hiefort will compete for the seat, [Ramsey City Clerk Jo] Theiling said.

Strib spells the candidate name "Heifort" as ABC did, PiPress spelling it "Hiefort."

Low turnout is a worry. In the better days of summer, voter turnout can be expected to be low, and then when coverage is scarce in the local press, turnout may be driven lower.

All I can report now for certain is that Jill Johns is a former Ramsey Parks Commissioner. E.g., here, for a rough time frame.

There is this LinkedIn page: Jill Johns. Presumably it is the same person as is running in Ramsey.

For "Tom Heifort," there are web hits here and here, and again this presumably is Ramsey's candidate, although that is a further reach than in the preceding paragraph.

Reader help via submitting comments on candidate info beyond this, and correction of any errors, would be appreciated. If either candidate has a campaign website or a Facebook page, I could not locate one.