JacksonNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Jackson Mayor & City Council Election 2026

3 of 6 council seats are on the ballot, with 7 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 · 12 days left

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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.

All Jackson voters elect the mayor, Ward 1 voters elect one alderman and Ward 2 voters elect two. Three aldermen stay on the six-member council; the mayor votes only to break a tie.

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

01Ambulance service costs and oversight4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city ambulance service ran a deficit of about $750,000 in 2025, and the council reconvened an Ambulance Advisory Board in January 2026 to help cut costs.

What's on the tableThe council will decide the ambulance service's operating model and whether to ask neighboring communities to help pay for it.

02Property taxes and borrowing4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council raised the 2026 tax levy 9.23 percent and in September 2026 certified a preliminary levy of 4.9 percent.

What's on the tableThe council will set the final levy in December and pay for street projects and utility needs.

03Garbage contract and citywide cleanup3 sourced facts

Where it standsJackson's contract with Waste Management expires Dec. 31, 2026, and the city sought proposals for waste disposal services beginning in 2027.

What's on the tableThe council will choose a waste hauler and decide how citywide cleanups work.

04Problem properties and code enforcement3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city's Abatement Committee is working through neglected and nuisance properties on a $10,000 budget for 2026.

What's on the tableThe council will decide how much to budget for code enforcement in 2027 and whether to buy problem properties.

05Minnesota state flag2 sourced facts

Where it standsIn April 2026 the council adopted a resolution to display the 1983 version of the Minnesota State Flag on City property.

What's on the tableThe council decides which version of the state flag the city displays.

4 notes on these statements

Dan Swoboda announced his withdrawal from the race for mayor at the Sept. 1, 2026 City Council meeting. Jackson City Council minutes, Sept. 1, 2026 · Sep 1, 2026

Dan Swoboda and Shawn Foster are both listed on the official candidate list for Mayor of Jackson. Minnesota Secretary of State · Nov 3, 2026

Mark D. Titus is the only candidate on the ballot for City Council, Ward 1. Minnesota Secretary of State · Nov 3, 2026

Mayor Marcus Polz announced in April he would not seek re-election as mayor and is running for City Council in Ward 2. Jackson County Pilot · Jul 29, 2026

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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. Should a citizen advisory board help oversee Jackson's ambulance service?

  2. 2. How much should Jackson's city tax levy rise next year?

  3. 3. What should Jackson's fall citywide cleanup look like?

  4. 4. Which Minnesota flag should Jackson display on city property?

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 voted14 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): Mike Schwartz, John Weland3 on this ballot

6 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

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

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