Time biggest factor in Donnelly’s decision to drop from Dakota County Board race
City council, school board candidate filing opens July 30
Farmington City Council Member Terry Donnelly filed his candidacy for the Dakota County Board of Commissioners on June 5, but withdrew his name from the race 48 hours later.
“Now is not the right time,” Donnelly said, noting he would consider running for the office
Farmington City Council Member Terry Donnelly photo by Laura Adelmann
in the future.
“All options are open for sure,” Donnelly said. “Two years is a long time, but (running for county commissioner) is not out of the question.”
The former Farmington School Board member and current Farmington City Council member said he had long considered whether to run for the District 1 seat, held for 32 years by Joe Harris who last winter announced he would not seek re-election.
“I thought I would make a good candidate,” Donnelly said. “A lot of people were supporting me.”
Donnelly said he weighed the time he would spend campaigning and his family’s hectic summer schedule before deciding to withdraw from the District 1 race.
“I have a lot of things going on this summer,” Donnelly said. “And my kids are in the county fair, so it is kind of distracting. My son has a couple years left of 4-H, and then he’s out. I didn’t want to detract from that.”
District 1 includes Farmington, Hastings, Coates and surrounding townships, and after redistricting is temporarily a two-year term. The winning candidate could face four votes in two years: two primaries and two general elections.
In 2014, the seat will return to a four-year term.
“That’s a lot of campaigning,” Donnelly said.
Donnelly is in his first term on the Farmington City Council; he is still considering whether to seek a second term.
The filing period for Farmington City Council and School Board candidates is July 31 to Aug. 14.
