Sheriff’s report sheds light on mayor-elect in Claremont

Dodge County Deputy Mark Dyshaw saw a news clip following the 2024 election and saw an interview with a man he had known as Casey Michael Tyson.
The man, however, goes by Casey Striver, and he had just been elected mayor of Claremont, as a last-minute write in campaign.
“I have known Casey since around 2014 when he moved to 206 1st St. SW in Dodge Center,” Dyshaw said. “Tyson has had many issues with the city of Dodge Center regarding junk vehicles in and around his property.”
The question now boils down to, will the mayor-elect be able to be sworn in, or not.
Back taxes and utility bills, aliases, and even him not voting for himself doesn’t matter; it all boils down to one thing— residency.
Move to Claremont
On Oct. 4, 31 days before the election, Striver changed his driver’s license address to a home in Claremont. According to the police report, two individuals have lived there “for many years and still live there.”
Striver previously told the DCI that he moved to Claremont in time to meet residency requirements.
According to authorities, a search on the court’s website for “Casey Tyson, the name Casey Michael Honsey was under his name (Tyson) with a 2006 conviction for second degree burglary in Steele County.”
According to court records, Striver was given a stay of imposition, essentially meaning in exchange for good behavior, a sentence is reduced to a lower offense.
Police then went to a last known employer for the occupant of Striver’s last known address. She no longer worked there, according to authorities.
“I then went to her residence and received no answer at the door. I called and left her a message and left my card in the door of her parked vehicle to get hold of me,” Dyshaw said. “Casey Striver called my work cell at 15:40 hours on 11/12/24, and I did not answer it.”
According to the report, Striver’s wife was also an employee or a current employee of the same employer as the occupant of Striver’s last known address.
In a previous interview with the DCI, Striver explained he had recently bought a home in Claremont.
“Casey Striver bought a house in Claremont, 205 East St. N. in the past year or so. It had a fire a while back and the city is not letting him remodel it, according to a recent conversation I had with him,” Dyshaw said. “On 11/12/24, the City of Claremont reported to me that they will not allow him to continue the remodel until a permit is obtained. The house remains vacant and according to the Dodge County assessor, it is in Casey Tyson’s name but not designated as a homestead.”
On Nov. 13, according to the report, City Administrator/ Clark Liz Sorg told authorities the property had the water shut off “some time ago, and the back unpaid bills have been levied on the taxes.”
“The electric meter has been pulled, the roof is sagging, and there is exterior fire damage to several SE windows,” Dyshaw wrote. “The roof is sagging as well. I took pictures of the building from the park and added them to this case file.”
Owed taxes
In the police report, Dyshaw said Striver also owns the old Dickie Implement building on Front Street West.
“According to the Assessor’s office, the building is uninhabitable and is more than likely zoned commercial,” Dyshaw wrote. “The building is filled with cars and the city is concerned about the condition of the building. A section of the roof collapsed several years ago, and a satellite photo shows several vehicles parked inside. The city also reported on 11/13/24 that Striver had pulled the water meter on this property.”
Dyshaw also said a public records check revealed that Striver’s properties in Claremont have unpaid property tax.
In total, Dyshaw said it’s $14,347.83 in back taxes.
Never voted
As part of the investigation done by the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Sara Marquardt, the chief election official for the county, looked into Striver’s voting history.
Previously, Striver told the DCI, he never voted in an election, and didn’t vote for himself for mayor saying he ran out of time, while campaigning on Election Day.
“The assistant Dodge County Attorney advised me that Casey Striver had his civil rights restored in 2012,” Dyshaw wrote.
On Nov. 13, Dyshaw said he followed up with Marquardt.
“As far as I know this guy (whatever his name) was in to see Liz, city clerk the other day,” Marquardt wrote in an email. “He said that he does live in the city, but I am not sure how since the house burned down before he bought it.”
Marquardt said she advised the city to consult with the city attorney “on how to proceed with this or I have no legal guidance for this.”
“l asked if Casey can and voted on Election Day in Claremont and Liz said he did not,” Marquardt wrote in an email. “So, as I can see he is not registered to vote in Claremont.”
Marquardt said she checked the following names: Casey Striver, Casey Tyson and Casey Honsey.
“One of the requirements on the office is that you have to live in that city, which I do not think he does,” Marquardt wrote.
A few minutes later Marquardt sent another email.
“I looked at the rosters that we need to enter for Dodge Center yet and he is not registered, or did he vote in Dodge Center,” Marquardt wrote. “I do not see that he is registered at all to vote. I do not see that he voted at all this year either.”
Campaign
According to the incident report, Sorg told police she discovered a card “from the Striver campaign in one of the election booth.”
“The card had verbiage to the effect of Striver being a write-in candidate, and to take this card with them to the election booth to make sure his name was spelled correctly,” Dyshaw wrote.
According to police, Dahl said “Striver campaigned by driving a vehicle around Claremont with signs indicating his candidacy, and spent a lot of time in the Claremont Pub.”
The mayoral campaign was so low key in Claremont, Striver’s own, adoptive mother didn’t even know he was running until after he won.
New name
According to police, on Nov. 13, Amy Honsey, Casey Striver’s adoptive mother, returned a call.
“Honsey reported that she had heard about the mayoral run and that Casey had rented a room or a house in town but does not know where,” Dyshaw wrote.
Striver previously told the DCI that deputies had contacted family members.
“She did not know about the election until afterwards as she got the information from her parents in Owatonna,” Dyshaw wrote. “She adopted Casey when he was 9 years old, and they had a bunch of problems with him and he changed his name several times. Honsey does not know where the name Striver came from.”
In a text message, Striver told the DCI his name has been changed due to being adopted twice as a kid.
Forwarding address
Dyshaw said he also checked to see if mail was being forwarded to Striver’s address in Claremont.
“The Kasson Postmaster covers the city of Claremont,” he said. “The clerk advised me that he could not find any forwarding orders for the name Casey Tyson, Casey Striver, or Kari Striver.”
Dyshaw also said on Nov.13, he drove by the last known address for Striver, without any vehicles being present associated with Striver.
“Same for every shift I work since,” Dyshaw said.
On Nov. 18, Dyshaw said he spoke with City Administrator Liz Sorg and Mayor Tasha Dahl at city Hall.
“I received the Secretary of State Election Complaint form from Sorg, signed by Dahl,” he wrote. “I later delivered it to the County Attorney’s Office. The original was mailed on 11/15/2024.”
Next steps
On Nov. 14, the city council approved directing City Attorney Mark Rahrick to verify the information Striver would have normally been required to fill out if he had been on the ballot.
Since Striver was a write-in candidate, he wasn’t required to file an affidavit attesting to his residency and other prudent information in advance of the election.
It’s unclear, however, what the next steps are.
Chief Deputy Ryer Anderson said the city requested the police report, which was provided to them. The DCI also filed a data request independent of the city’s request.
“We have forwarded everything we have to the County Attorney’s Office for further review,” Anderson said.
When asked previously what his next steps were, Striver said he wasn’t sure.
“I don’t really have a next step, I did what I was supposed to do, I was supposed to go out and campaign, I did that, I was supposed to win, I did that, I was supposed to proof residency I did that, that’s the only make or break out of this entire thing is whether I can prove residency, and whether I can show the intent to continue to live in Claremont,” Striver said.