For my Duluth readers, the Zenith City of the Freshwater Seas holds its primary election for mayor and 5th District city council today.

Eight candidates for mayor include:  Thomas Cooper, John Howard Evans, Howie Hanson, Chuck Horton, Emily Larson, James Mattson, Robert D. Schieve, and John Socha. The top two vote-getters will advance.

That’s a lot of candidates, most of whom remain relatively unknown to the general public.

City councilors Larson and Hanson, along with boxing promoter Horton are probably the best known names. Most politicos see today as a competition to see who will face DFL-endorsed Larson in the Nov. 3 general election. Duluth is Northern Minnesota’s biggest Democratic-Farmer-Labor bastion.

In Duluth’s western 5th District, Allan Beaulier, incumbent Jay Fosle, Derrick Ellis and Janet Kennedy will face off today as well.

There are competitive races for other council races, including two open at-large seats, on tap for Nov. 3. I wrote about those candidates in an earlier post.

Polls remain open until 8 p.m.