Blooming PrairieNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Blooming Prairie Mayor & City Council Election 2026

3 of 5 council seats are on the ballot, with 7 candidates running. Updated Oct 21, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

Not sure who to vote for? Answer 6 questions and see which candidates agree with you, and why.

Find your match: 6-question quizSee who is on your ballot

No sign-in. Your answers stay on your device. We never endorse anyone.

Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

Find where to voteCheck your registration
Election Day (Nov 3): the election office's notice

These links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.

The candidates

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

Voters choose the mayor from two candidates and two of the four council members from five candidates. Two council members stay on.

Election Day · Nov 3

Take your ballot with you

Candidates, positions and key dates in one email, sent now.

Your cheat-sheet comes right away. You'll also get a reminder before Election Day, the results, then what your council decides next. Unsubscribe anytime. No ads, never sold.

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

01Street repairs and who pays4 sourced facts

Where it standsA feasibility study for 2027 street improvements in four areas of town has been approved, and a public hearing is set for Nov. 9, 2026.

What's on the tableWhether to go ahead with the 2027 street projects and how to split the cost between property owners and the city.

02Highway 218 sewer and water replacement4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council adopted a facility plan in July 2026 for sewer and water work under U.S. Highway 218, which must be done along with MnDOT's road rebuild.

What's on the tableHow to pay the city's share of the utility and contamination cleanup work before the project can start.

03Property taxes and the 2027 budget2 sourced facts

Where it standsIn September 2026 the council approved a 14.88% preliminary levy increase for 2027; the final levy follows a Truth in Taxation hearing on Dec. 14, 2026.

What's on the tableThe final 2027 budget and levy, and what to cut or add.

04Garbage collection1 sourced fact

Where it standsIn May 2026 the council directed staff to notify trash haulers and draft an ordinance for consolidated trash collection.

What's on the tableWhether to move to one contracted garbage hauler for the city.

  • City staff said the council had expressed interest in a consolidated trash collection program to decrease heavy truck traffic on city roads, improve customer service and decrease costs. City of Blooming Prairie · May 11, 2026
05Police, fire and ambulance services2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city runs its own police department, with volunteer fire and ambulance services that are recruiting members.

What's on the tableHow to fund and staff public safety services in the budget.

06Housing and the tax base2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city has been looking at ways to add housing and business development.

What's on the tableWhether to offer incentives for new homes and how to fund economic development.

07Access to council meetings2 sourced facts

Where it standsCouncil meetings are open to the public, and agendas, packets and minutes are posted on the city website.

What's on the tableWhether to record or live-stream council meetings and post more information online.

2 notes on these statements

The official candidate list shows Heath Lembke and Michael Ressler for Mayor, and Charlie Heimerman, Trevor Kruckeberg, William B Newman, Paul Tollefson and Thomas Wanous for Council Member (Elect 2). Minnesota Secretary of State

Heath Lembke was unable to attend the Blooming Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce candidate forum in October 2026. Steele County Times · Oct 15, 2026

No sign-in · answers stay on your phone

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. Who should pay for street repairs in Blooming Prairie?

  2. 2. Should the city raise property taxes to pay for more street work?

  3. 3. Should Blooming Prairie contract with a single garbage hauler?

  4. 4. Should Blooming Prairie keep its own police, fire and ambulance services?

  5. 5. Should the city offer incentives, such as tax abatements, to get more starter homes built?

  6. 6. Should the city live-stream its council meetings?

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 voted8 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

2 stay (not up this year): Greg Johnson, Marcy Sundine3 on this ballot

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

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works

See something wrong? Report an error

Something wrong or missing? Tell us what and where, with a link to a source if you have one. Reports feed the next verification run.