Baker, Tolbert leading Arlington mayor primary election

MARYSVILLE — Steve Baker and Barb Tolbert appear to be headed for the general election as candidates for the Arlington mayor's race this fall. In the wake of the Aug. 16 primary election, the results as of 4:17 p.m. on Aug. 19 show Arlington City Council member Baker, the mayor pro-tem of Arlington, with 815 votes, or 29.58 percent of the votes counted, and Tolbert with 781 votes, or 28.35 percent of the vote. Of their fellow candidates, Debora Nelson received 480 votes, or 17.42 percent of the votes counted, while Craig Christianson received 385 votes, or 13.97 percent of the votes counted, and Carsten Mullin received 186 votes, or 6.75 percent of the votes counted. Kari Ilonummi received 86 votes, or 3.12 percent of the vote, and write-ins received 22 votes, or 0.8 percent of the votes counted.

By Kirk Boxleitner • August 19, 2011 11:08 pm
Steve Baker and Barb Tolbert are leading in the Aug. 16 primary election results for Arlington mayor.
Steve Baker and Barb Tolbert are leading in the Aug. 16 primary election results for Arlington mayor.

MARYSVILLE — Steve Baker and Barb Tolbert appear to be headed for the general election as candidates for the Arlington mayor’s race this fall.

In the wake of the Aug. 16 primary election, the results as of 4:17 p.m. on Aug. 19 show Arlington City Council member Baker, the mayor pro-tem of Arlington, with 815 votes, or 29.58 percent of the votes counted, and Tolbert with 781 votes, or 28.35 percent of the vote. Of their fellow candidates, Debora Nelson received 480 votes, or 17.42 percent of the votes counted, while Craig Christianson received 385 votes, or 13.97 percent of the votes counted, and Carsten Mullin received 186 votes, or 6.75 percent of the votes counted. Kari Ilonummi received 86 votes, or 3.12 percent of the vote, and write-ins received 22 votes, or 0.8 percent of the votes counted.

“I feel that it is the citizens that want me to proceed on to the general election,” Baker said. “I am always humbled by their confidence in my work on the Council these last 10 years. I have heard from many over the years, thanking me for being fair and unbiased toward judgments that I have had to make, and also never forgetting them as well as the businesses. I will continue to work for the people, and to keep their taxes as low as possible.”

Like Baker, Tolbert thanked her supporters and expressed confidence about the future.

“I will continue to get out and talk to the voters and highlight my experience as a successful businesswoman with the ability to run a large organization and manage a large group of people,” Tolbert said. “I look forward to working with [the community] on the challenges and opportunities of our great city.”

As the fourth-place finisher, Christianson expressed his support for Baker in the general election as he took stock of the primary.

“I think my political career is over,” Christianson said. “I didn’t like the way some of this progressed. My only hope is that whoever wins has the fortitude enough to straighten some of this mess out. We have serious problems and I hope the winner is serious enough to solve them.”

Ilonummi is willing to endorse either Baker or Tolbert, whichever one is willing to support his own call for the institution of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Glass-Steagall Act, which was a frequent refrain of his campaign. His sixth-place finish in the primary has not deterred his plans to pursue local elected office in the future.

“I will continue to fight for the interests of the forgotten man, known today as the middle and lower class,” Ilonummi said. “My voice shall continue to remain a prominent voice within City Hall, as I am in the midst of advancing my political endeavors to provide a vast array of knowledge to be found over the months to come through my website, NoSpinNewsSource.com.”