Politics

Johnson wins Rice Lake mayoral race by 33 votes

He defeated incumbent mayor Suzanne Herstad, who was appointed to finish the late Mayor John Werner's term after he died in May 2023.

RICE LAKE — Darrel Johnson will serve as Rice Lake's next mayor. Johnson, a city councilor and excavation company owner, earned 870 votes to defeat incumbent Suzanne Herstad by just 33 votes. ADVERTISEMENT Herstad was appointed mayor after former Mayor John Werner's death in May 2023.

Herstad was a city council member before she was appointed mayor, and Johnson was appointed as her replacement on the council. In a September Facebook post, Johnson wrote that he was running to lower residential property taxes by building the city's commercial tax base. "If elected mayor, I'll ensure that Rice Lake will NOT become the next Hermantown," Johnson wrote.

"I'll guide Rice Lake in responsible growth in our residential neighborhoods, while attracting suitable businesses in our commercial corridors.".