BaxterNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Baxter City Council Election 2026

2 of 5 council seats are on the ballot, with 4 candidates running. Updated Oct 20, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

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General Election Day (Nov 3): the election office's notice

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The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

Voters across Baxter choose up to two of the four candidates for two at-large council seats.

General Election Day · Nov 3

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Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

What the next council decides

01Local sales tax extension4 sourced facts

Where it standsBaxter's 0.5% local sales tax is expected to reach its $40 million limit by the end of 2027, and the Legislature did not take up the city's 2026 request to extend it.

What's on the tableWhether to seek the extension again in 2027 and how to pay for water, street and police projects if it ends.

  • In January 2026 the council supported extending the 0.50% local sales tax and up to $20 motor vehicle excise tax for 20 years to fund about $77,000,000 in projects. City of Baxter · Jan 6, 2026
  • The proposed projects are $51,000,000 for wastewater and water utility improvements, $16,000,000 for streets near Highways 371 and 210, and $10,000,000 for a new police facility. City of Baxter · Jan 6, 2026
  • An extension requires a special law from the Legislature and approval by Baxter voters at a general election. City of Baxter · Jan 6, 2026
  • The Legislature adjourned without passing a tax bill that included about 30 local sales tax requests, including Baxter's. Brainerd Dispatch · Sep 18, 2026
022027 budget and property tax levy4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council set a preliminary 2027 levy of $10,902,700, a 12.65% increase over 2026, on a 3-1 vote in September 2026.

What's on the tableThe final 2027 levy and budget, which can be lower than the preliminary levy but not higher.

03Highway 371 overpass4 sourced facts

Where it standsMnDOT accepted the city's conditions in February 2026, completing municipal consent for the $58 million buttonhook overpass; most construction is expected in 2029.

What's on the tableHow the city pays its local share of costs and how it handles detours, access and design details during construction.

04Police staffing and facilities4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe police chief asked for a 17th officer and a take-home squad car program, and staff say the police department and City Hall building is at capacity.

What's on the tableWhether to add officers and how and when to plan and pay for a new police facility and City Hall.

05Housing growth4 sourced facts

Where it standsIn 2026 the council added a high-density single-family zoning district and accepted tax increment financing terms for an 80-unit assisted living development.

What's on the tableHow much to use zoning changes and financial incentives to bring new housing to Baxter.

2 notes on these statements

Council members Connie Lyscio and Zach Tabatt hold the two seats on the ballot; Zach Tabatt is running for reelection and Connie Lyscio is running for Brainerd School Board instead. KAXE · Sep 28, 2026

Douglas C. Francis, Joe Mussell and Jeff Phillips did not respond to the KAXE election guide; Zach Tabatt did. KAXE · Sep 28, 2026

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Who matches you?

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  1. 1. Should Baxter keep asking the Legislature to extend its local sales tax?

  2. 2. Should Baxter set a 12.65% increase in its 2027 property tax levy?

  3. 3. Should Baxter have given consent to MnDOT's buttonhook design for the Highway 371 overpass?

  4. 4. Should upgrading Baxter's police facility be a near-term priority?

  5. 5. Should Baxter use tax increment financing to help build housing projects?

  6. 6. Should Baxter allow smaller lots for denser single-family neighborhoods?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted3 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

3 stay (not up this year): Mark Cross, Darrel Olson, Patrick Sundberg2 on this ballot

5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

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