Three-way race in St. Louis County District 1 primary advances two candidates

District 1 voters in Duluth will narrow a three-candidate county board race Tuesday, Aug. 11, with two candidates advancing from the St. Louis County primary. The contest decides who moves on to a seat that shapes county decisions on roads, services, taxes and development across the district.

Annie Harala enters the election as the incumbent. St. Louis County lists her as the current 1st District commissioner and says her term expires Jan. 4, 2027. That gives Harala the advantage of holding the office now, as District 1 voters weigh whether to keep the current direction at the county board table or choose a different approach for the next term.

Kris Eilers launched her campaign March 10 in Canal Park in Duluth. She has served as executive director of the St. Louis River Alliance since 2015, and she said she was running to protect the environment, fight corporate influence, and push for more transparency and community input. Those priorities put land use, watershed concerns and public access to county decisions near the center of her message.

John Socha rounds out the ballot, giving District 1 voters a three-way choice in the primary rather than a head-to-head match. With two candidates advancing, the first round will determine which names survive a field that has already drawn attention from local political and labor groups, including the St. Louis County Democratic Central Committee and AFSCME Council 5.

The county elections office says absentee ballots were available starting 46 days before the election, and it directs voters to state primary absentee voting information. St. Louis County also notes same-day and any-polling-place voting procedures in some contexts, adding more than one route for residents who want to vote before Election Day. Candidate forums are also being planned with the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce, giving voters another chance to compare the three contenders before the field drops to two.