Even though many students are graduating this time of year, nearly one-fourth of all voters in Mower County don't have a high school education, according to statistics from a state political directory.

The 2001-02 Politics in Minnesota Directory

is such a resource for candidates and voters.

Geoff Baker, chairman of the Mower County Republican Party, used the directory in a recent presentation to the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce.

What Baker learned from the director is something he hopes to use to "sharpen the focus" in the campaign season ahead, while using demographics and voting results from the "old" House District 27B.

The district's minority population is below the state average, 1.8 versus 6.2 percent

Also, the district's over 65 population is greater than the state average 20.6 percent compared to 12.5 percent.

The per capita income of people in the district, which comprised two thirds of Mower County before redistricting this spring, was less than the state average, $11,579 compared to $14,389.

The number of people whose income is below the poverty line is the same as the state average, 10.2 percent.

Also, the district's 78.8 percent voter turnout in 2000 surpassed the state average of 69.4 percent.

But two statistics were startling.

Based on 2000 demographics, the directory claims the district (i.e. Mower County before the boundaries were redrawn) has more residents without a high school diploma than the state average: 24.1 compared to 17.6 percent.

Also, the directory claims the district has fewer people with a college degree than the state average: 13.5 percent in the district and 21.8 percent in the state.

Among the observations Baker made about the data was that a smaller minority population exists than originally thought.

Char Blowers, assistant Mower County DFL Party chair, thinks this statistic — 1.8 percent of the population is an ethnic minority — is "too low."

"I think the minority population is higher. Much higher, in fact, and this is an area we should target in order to register the people to vote," she said.

Also, the large number of elderly in the population means business issues -- never high on the over 65 percent of the population -- will likely not resonate.

Likewise, Baker maintains the "no high school diploma" group is also nettlesome to politicos, because that group "rarely cares about business issues." Instead, they are single-issue voters.

Baker said the demographics of greater Mower County are "clearly different

from those of the state of Minnesota."

And, the district's population is an aging one, which suggests the single most important issue to them will be health care.

Blowers said, "The Republican Party spent a million dollars on the Schwab and Piper race in 2000. That's how important it was to them. In a close race like that, you can't make any mistakes and you need all the information you can get for your candidate."

Whether one party or another or one candidate or another agrees or disagrees with the data, Baker said, "It is what it is."

Regardless, Mower County political party leaders know this November's elections are up for grabs.

Republicans see an opportunity to wrestle a House seat from the DFL Party. State Rep. Rob Leighton (Austin-DFL) is leaving the Minnesota Legislature at the end of his current term in office.

Jeff Anderson, an Austin High School teacher, lost to Leighton in 2000, but the relatively close margin only whetted Anderson's appetite to try again for the newly redrawn House District 27B.

Meanwhile, State Sen. Grace Schwab (R-Albert Lea) hopes to withstand the challenge of DFLer Dan Sparks of Austin in the Senate District 27.

In these and other races, candidates and their parities will seek any advantage.

Blowers said getting information out is crucial.

"Look at the Piper-Schwab race two years ago," she said. "In the Senate race, Pat Piper got 50 percent of the vote in the old District 27B and Grace Schwab got 49.8 percent.. That's as close as you can get."

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto: lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com