News Room
Secretary Simon Celebrates St. Louis County Election Workers
DULUTH — On Thursday, November 20, 2025, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon awarded five election workers with the statewide Excellence in Elections Award. The award honors election workers for their outstanding service to the State of Minnesota.
Secretary Simon presented the Excellence in Elections Award to Jon Blevins, St. Louis County Information Specialist III; Phil Chapman, St. Louis County Clerk of County Board/Elections Manager; Amanda Inman, Municipal Services Secretary for the City of Mountain Iron; Dawn Kehoe, Deputy Clerk/Treasurer for the City of Cook; and, Theresa Martinson, Former City Administrator for the City of Cook.
“Minnesota’s elections are the product of talented, committed professionals across the state,” said Minnesota Secretary of Steve Simon. “Elections truly are a team effort that require thousands of Minnesotans to rise to the occasion. I’m honored to celebrate the exceptional examples of service in St. Louis County.”
"We owe such a debt of gratitude to the many election workers across our county for their tireless dedication to ensure elections run smoothly and provide results that are accurate and trustworthy," said St. Louis County Auditor/Treasurer Nancy Nilsen. "I appreciate the Secretary of State calling attention to the good work these people do."
PHOTO: See a photo from the November 20 event.
VIDEO: See a video of the event from St. Louis County
About the Honorees
Jon Blevins, St. Louis County Information Specialist III: Jon has worked in the St. Louis County Auditor's Office for six years and is the main election contact for day-to-day election questions. Jon is a great resource for clerks and co-workers regarding election processes and procedures. He is responsible for coordinating equipment programming and ballot creation for all jurisdictions in the county. He also assists with clerk and staff training. Even though Jon is inundated with questions during busy times, he maintains a polite and professional demeanor while providing quality customer service and timely communication.
Phil Chapman, St. Louis County Clerk of County Board/Elections Manager: Throughout his 12 years in this role, Phil consistently demonstrates his dedication to running fair and accurate elections that allow all eligible voters to be able to cast their ballot. As a part of his work, Phil is responsible for training clerks throughout the county, which spans 7,000 square miles.
Amanda Inman, Municipal Services Secretary for the City of Mountain Iron: Amanda has been in charge of elections for 10 years. Amanda is being recognized for ongoing excellence in administering elections. During her tenure, elections have been administered seamless without issues. Staff and election judges are well trained. The city embraces technology, one of the first jurisdictions to implement electronic poll books in the county.
Dawn Kehoe, Deputy Clerk/Treasurer for the City of Cook and Theresa Martinson, Former City Administrator for the City of Cook: In 2024, a flash flood devasted the City of Cook. While responding to the aftermath of the flood, which included road closures, property destruction, local disaster declarations, FEMA paperwork, and other challenges, both Theresa and Dawn administered a flawless primary and general state election.