Don't forget to vote in special Detroit Lakes School Board election on Tuesday

DETROIT LAKES — If you live in the Detroit Lakes School District, don’t forget to vote in the special election on Tuesday, May 9.

Voters are fortunate to have two good candidates in Nerissa Hendrickson and Ethan Walz , both of whom are already deeply involved in the school district.

Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday at two polling places – Trinity Lutheran Church at 1401 Madison Ave. and Community Alliance Church at 408 Elm St. W., both in Detroit Lakes.

Residents can also cast absentee ballots at the district office (702 Lake Ave. in Detroit Lakes) on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through the end of the day on Monday, May 8.

Here’s where to vote:

Vote at Trinity Lutheran Church if you live in:

Burlington Township, Detroit Lakes City Wards 2 or 3, Lake Eunice Township, Lakeview Township, and also Candor and Dunn townships in Otter Tail County.

Vote at Community Alliance Church if you live in:

Audubon Township (but not Audubon City), Callaway City and Township, Detroit Lakes Ward 1, Detroit Township, Eagleview Township, Erie Township, Hamden Township, and Height of Land Township.

The winner of the special election will serve out the remaining 15 months of a seat vacated by Courtney Henderson, who moved out of the district. Her last board meeting was in October of 2022. Because Henderson resigned after the cutoff date to file for the school board’s regular election in November of 2022, the special election was required.

The board agreed to hold the special election in May, and appointed Jennifer Pedersen to serve on an interim basis. She had recently served on the six-member school board, but did not run for reelection last year.