Scott County Board Chairman Bob Vogel announced Tuesday he will not seek a third term, “because when I decided to run for this office in 2002 I made a personal commitment to myself to impose a term limit of no more than two terms,” he said in a news release.

Filing for county, state and federal offices opened Tuesday. Vogel, of New Market, represents District 2, which includes Elko New Market, Savage Precincts 6 and 8, as well as the townships of Cedar Lake, Credit River, New Market and Spring Lake.

Vogel said that with the self-imposed term limit, “I
knew that by limiting the time I would be in office my determination to face and address issues would be accelerated because I would need to address them with more intensity than if I were to be in office for an undetermined amount of time. Secondly, I have a personal belief that
elected office is best done with short-term leadership devoted to public service, rather than long tenures which risk the loss of objectivity due to the constant pressures faced by the necessities re-election campaigns can cause.

“For me the best way to eliminate that risk was to make up my mind when I began my service that if re-elected for a second term I would not seek a third.”

At least one person is already lined up to take Vogel's place. Savage resident Tom Wolf, who has previously ran for county board, submitted his candidacy on the first day of the filing period.

The other County Board member whose term expires this
year is Barbara Marschall, who represents District 4, which includes Prior Lake and four Shakopee precincts. She announced earlier that she will seek re-election and she also filed on Tuesday.

Several other candidates also have entered their bids for election or re-election.

As expected, Taylor Kristoffe-Jones, DFL-Savage, will run again for the Minnesota House of Representatives District 35B seat held by state Rep. Mark Buesgens, R-Jordan. Kristoffe-Jones lost to Buesgens in the election two years ago.

State. Rep. Michael Beard, R-Shakopee, has filed again in District 35A. His DFL-endorsed opponent, Sue Bruns of Prior Lake, hadn't filed yet as of noon Wednesday.

No candidates for three available Scott Soil and Water Conservation District seats were listed on the Web site for the Minnesota Secretary of State.

The election filing period runs through July 15. For more information, go to http://www.sos.state.mn.us/home/index.asp?page=136.