Jackson Mayor · Nov 3, 2026
Shawn
Foster
Shawn Foster is running for mayor of Jackson in the Nov 3, 2026 election, unopposed.
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The race · Mayor
- 01Shawn FosterYou’re reading
- 02Dan SwobodaWithdrawn
Background
- About
- Alpha banker from Jackson, first elected to the City Council from Ward 1 in 2024. He serves on the finance, street, personnel and abatement committees and chairs the ambulance advisory board.
Dan Swoboda and Shawn Foster are both listed on the official candidate list for Mayor of Jackson. Minnesota Secretary of State · Nov 3, 2026
On the record: Shawn Foster
18 sourced01Ambulance service4 sourced positions
as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote
Said he voted against dissolving the Ambulance Advisory Board due to budgetary reasons.
Own statementJackson City Council minutes, Sept. 16, 2025 · Sep 16, 2025Link
as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote
Said a new Ambulance Advisory Board could be very helpful when the Finance Committee meets with city departments on the budget.
Own statementJackson City Council minutes, Nov. 5, 2025 · Nov 5, 2025Link
Voted no on not reactivating and dissolving the Ambulance Advisory Board (passed 4-1, Sept. 2025).
Council voteJackson City Council minutes, Sept. 16, 2025 · Sep 16, 2025LinkHow the council voted
Voted yes on appointing members to the Ambulance Advisory Board, including Aldermen Shawn Foster and Joe Pell (passed unanimously, Jan. 2026).
Council voteJackson City Council minutes, Jan. 5, 2026 (special meeting) · Jan 5, 2026LinkHow the council voted
02Garbage and cleanup4 sourced positions
as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote
Said keeping the spring cleanup while dropping the paid fall cleanup was a nice way to address the city's budget issues.
Own statementJackson City Council minutes, March 17, 2026 · Mar 17, 2026Link
Voted yes on cancelling the 2026 fall citywide cleanup and keeping the spring cleanup at no cost to the city (passed unanimously, March 2026).
Council voteJackson City Council minutes, March 17, 2026 · Mar 17, 2026LinkHow the council voted
Voted yes on seeking proposals for waste disposal services to begin in 2027, before the Waste Management contract expires (passed unanimously, March 2026).
Council voteJackson City Council minutes, March 17, 2026 · Mar 17, 2026LinkHow the council voted
Voted yes on a fall citywide cleanup drop-off day on Sept. 26, 2026 at the County/City Maintenance Facility (passed unanimously, April 2026).
Council voteJackson City Council minutes, April 7, 2026 · Apr 7, 2026LinkHow the council voted
03Property tax levy2 sourced positions
as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote
Said that under the 4.9% preliminary levy, owners of an average $200,000 homestead in Jackson would see a $46 decrease in city taxes.
Own statementJackson City Council minutes, Sept. 15, 2026 · Sep 15, 2026Link
Voted yes on Resolution No. 54-1225, setting the final tax levy for taxes collectible in 2026 at 9.23 percent (passed unanimously, Dec. 2025).
Council voteJackson City Council minutes, Dec. 16, 2025 · Dec 16, 2025LinkHow the council voted
04Hiring freeze2 sourced positions
as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote
Said a hiring freeze was a budget issue because the Finance Committee was looking at every dollar.
Own statementJackson City Council minutes, Nov. 5, 2025 · Nov 5, 2025Link
Voted yes on a temporary hiring freeze for all city departments until Dec. 31, 2025 (passed 6-0, Nov. 2025).
Council voteJackson City Council minutes, Nov. 5, 2025 · Nov 5, 2025LinkHow the council voted
05State flag1 sourced position
Voted yes on Resolution No. 08-0426 to display the 1983 version of the Minnesota State Flag on City property (passed 5-1, April 2026).
Council voteJackson City Council minutes, April 7, 2026 · Apr 7, 2026LinkHow the council voted
06Street project2 sourced positions
Voted yes on awarding the 2026 Street and Utility Improvement Project to Svoboda Excavating for $1,298,841 (passed unanimously, April 2026).
Council voteJackson City Council minutes, April 21, 2026 · Apr 21, 2026LinkHow the council voted
Voted yes on Resolution No. 17-0526, awarding the sale of bonds for the 2026 Street and Utility Project at a 4.0441% net interest rate (passed unanimously, May 2026).
Council voteJackson City Council minutes, May 19, 2026 · May 19, 2026LinkHow the council voted
07Cannabis retail1 sourced position
Voted yes on the retail cannabis registration application for Mountain Sight Vision LLC (passed unanimously, June 2026).
Council voteJackson City Council minutes, June 2, 2026 · Jun 2, 2026LinkHow the council voted
08Parks1 sourced position
Voted yes on accepting Tri-State General Contracting's $138,690 quote for the Dumont Park Shelter project (passed unanimously, Sept. 2026).
Council voteJackson City Council minutes, Sept. 1, 2026 · Sep 1, 2026LinkHow the council voted
09Past candidacies1 sourced position
Ran for Jackson City Council, Ward 1 in 2024 as a nonpartisan candidate (won).
Own statementMinnesota Secretary of State · Nov 5, 2024Link
Every claim links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works
Shawn Foster: their words and their votes on the same issue
Ambulance oversight
In their words
Said a new Ambulance Advisory Board could be very helpful when the Finance Committee meets with city departments on the budget.
Nov 5, 2025 ·as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote ·Jackson City Council minutes, Nov. 5, 2025 · Nov 5, 2025
On the record
Voted no on not reactivating and dissolving the Ambulance Advisory Board (passed 4-1, Sept. 2025).
Sep 16, 2025 ·Jackson City Council minutes, Sept. 16, 2025 · Sep 16, 2025
Voted yes on appointing members to the Ambulance Advisory Board, including Aldermen Shawn Foster and Joe Pell (passed unanimously, Jan. 2026).
Jan 5, 2026 ·Jackson City Council minutes, Jan. 5, 2026 (special meeting) · Jan 5, 2026
Fall cleanup
In their words
Said keeping the spring cleanup while dropping the paid fall cleanup was a nice way to address the city's budget issues.
Mar 17, 2026 ·as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote ·Jackson City Council minutes, March 17, 2026 · Mar 17, 2026
On the record
Voted yes on a fall citywide cleanup drop-off day on Sept. 26, 2026 at the County/City Maintenance Facility (passed unanimously, April 2026).
Apr 7, 2026 ·Jackson City Council minutes, April 7, 2026 · Apr 7, 2026
Hiring freeze
In their words
Said a hiring freeze was a budget issue because the Finance Committee was looking at every dollar.
Nov 5, 2025 ·as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote ·Jackson City Council minutes, Nov. 5, 2025 · Nov 5, 2025
On the record
Voted yes on a temporary hiring freeze for all city departments until Dec. 31, 2025 (passed 6-0, Nov. 2025).
Nov 5, 2025 ·Jackson City Council minutes, Nov. 5, 2025 · Nov 5, 2025
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