Jarrett faces write-in of BP area attorney in county race

For this first time in decades, the Steele County Attorney’s race will be contested.

A citizens’ committee on Monday announced a write-in campaign to elect M. Esther Sherman, an attorney who lives in rural Blooming Prairie.

According to information shared by the group, the committee came together “because we believe Steele County voters deserve another choice.”

Current Steele County Attorney Robert Jarrett has held the role since his appointment in June 2024.

“I’ve been honored to have been the county attorney for the past two years,” he said in a statement Monday.

“My commitment to the citizens of this community and the values I uphold have not changed, regardless of whether I am opposed or unopposed,” he said. “I remain focused on serving the public with integrity and the shared values of Steele County residents as a minister of justice, treating everyone with integrity and fairness, and with an unwavering commitment to the rule of law.”

The Residents for M. Esther Sherman Committee said their candidate believes the role of an attorney “is not simply to win cases, but to pursue justice. She values honesty, accountability, and treating every person with dignity and respect. Her approach is grounded in careful legal analysis, ethical decision-making, and a commitment to serving the people of Steele County.”

Sherman is currently a public defender for Minnesota’s Third Judicial District; in that role, “it would not be appropriate or ethical for her to run her own campaign,” the committee said, adding that Sherman has “consistently told people, ‘I want to live a life of public service, so if the people choose me, I’ll be honored to serve.’”

She reiterated that in a brief statement to the Steele County Times.

“I am deeply humbled – and a little shocked – by the fact this campaign is being undertaken,” Sherman wrote. “Though I am not involved with the election efforts, I respect the democratic spirit and appreciate the organizers (and potential voters) who choose to exercise their constitutional rights this way.

“This type of community engagement is a big part of what makes Steele County such a special place, and why it’s my chosen home,” she said.

Sherman has served as a law clerk on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. and in the Minnesota Judicial Branch, and as an Assistant Steele County Attorney.

During her time in Steele County, she prosecuted serious felony offenses, handled juvenile cases, developed truancy initiatives in partnership with local schools, managed tax court matters and served as co-chair of the county's Restorative Justice Practices Committee.

She has also mentored aspiring attorneys and, since 2021, has helped organize and promote Owatonna's annual Promoting Peace Conference, serving as a speaker and moderator on topics including public safety, restorative justice, de-escalation and mental health.

Earlier in her career, Sherman served as a law clerk with the U.S. Senate Finance Committee's Tax Team in Washington, D.C., where she gained experience in federal tax policy and the legislative process before earning an advanced law degree in taxation.

Jarrett previously served as the Rochester Police Department’s Professional Standards Manager and department attorney. Before that, he was an Assistant Steele County Attorney under Daniel McIntosh and a law clerk for First Judicial District Judge Douglas C. Bayley.

Jarrett, too, cited his work in the Steele County truancy program, saying he is “very proud of the high school truancy prevention programs I began in 2024 with the Owatonna School District and restarting Truancy Court following the pandemic, significantly reducing unexcused days of school the last two years – which will lead to long-lasting positive effects in our community.”

Before his legal career, he was a police officer in southeast Minnesota for 13 years.

The write-in campaign on Sherman’s behalf was the result of “several months” of the public asking if she would be willing to serve as Steele County Attorney, the committee said on social media, “because of their experiences working with her and seeing her commitment to public service.”

The general election is Nov. 3.