Mankato, MNVoter Guide 2026 · not a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Mankato Mayor & City Council Election 2026

3 of 7

council seats up

4 contests

7 candidates

Updated Oct 5, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

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

Mayor · 1 seat

City Council Ward 1 · Unopposed

City Council Ward 3 · 1 seat

City Council Ward 5 · 1 seat

Voters elect the mayor citywide and one council member each in Wards 1, 3 and 5 on Nov. 3. Ward 1 has one candidate.

1 note on these statements

Michael McLaughlin is unopposed for Ward 1. KEYC · Jun 3, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Dennis DiekenDennis Dieken is the Ward 2 member of the Mankato City Council and the council's representative on the All Seasons Arena Board.bio onlyMike LavenMike Laven is the Mankato City Council's At-Large member and its president.2sourcedJenn Melby-KelleyJenn Melby-Kelley is the Ward 4 member of the Mankato City Council and the owner of an Old Town coffee shop.bio only

Start here

Match quiz4 questions · answers stay on your phoneSeat the CouncilPick winners, see the councilWhat council decides2027 property tax levy and budget, Data center moratorium, Immigration enforcement and surveillance policyKey datesDeadlines and vote centers

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Next date

Pre-registration deadline (you can still register at the polls)

Tue, Oct 13, 2026

All key dates

What the next council decides

2027 property tax levy and budget

Where it standsThe council set a preliminary 2027 levy 5% higher on Sept. 14; it can be lowered before the final vote but not raised.

What's on the tableThe final 2027 property tax levy and city budget.

  • The Free Press reported the preliminary levy approved unanimously totals no more than $27.7 million, which is $1.33 million above what is collected this year. Mankato Free Press
  • KEYC reported the council adopted a resolution increasing the 2027 preliminary property tax levy by 5% and that staff can lower but not raise it. KEYC · Sep 15, 2026

Data center moratorium

Where it standsThe council approved a one-year moratorium on new data centers and other high-impact utility consumers on July 13, 2026.

What's on the tableWhat rules, if any, to adopt for data centers after the city's study.

  • Finance & Commerce reported the council unanimously approved the one-year moratorium on data centers and high-impact utility consumers. Finance & Commerce · Jul 14, 2026
  • KEYC reported the moratorium gives the council and staff time to study local impacts and how other communities regulate data centers. KEYC · Jul 14, 2026

Immigration enforcement and surveillance policy

Where it standsOn Aug. 10, 2026 the council let its emergency ordinance expire and adopted a resolution on city policies on immigration enforcement.

What's on the tableWhether to modify the resolution and what the Public Safety Advisory Committee's review of the police immigration policy leads to.

  • KEYC reported the city and its employees will not enforce or support federal immigration laws unless required, and data from body cameras and license plate readers will not be shared. KEYC · Aug 12, 2026
  • The Aug. 10 minutes record a motion to approve the resolution regarding city policies on immigration enforcement, which carried unanimously. City of Mankato · Aug 10, 2026

Housing

Where it standsThe council's recent housing actions include a community land trust whose 2023 expansion passed 5-2.

What's on the tableHow to balance new construction, subsidized homeownership and renter protections.

  • The Free Press reported the council approved a $600,000 expansion of the community land trust on a 5-2 vote, adding 10 homes if state funding is awarded. Mankato Free Press

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. The council passed a one-year moratorium on large data centers. What should the city do when it ends?

  2. 2. What should be the city's main tool for housing affordability?

  3. 3. Where should the city put its next public safety dollar?

  4. 4. What should the city do about license plate readers and other surveillance technology?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

The seat math

3 stay (not up this year): Dennis Dieken, Mike Laven, Jenn Melby-Kelley3 on this ballot

7 council seats. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

  • Mankato has a council-manager form of government, and the City Council hires the city manager. City of Mankato
  • The council has five ward members, one member at large who serves as council president, and the mayor; members serve staggered four-year terms. City of Mankato
  • The Nov. 3, 2026 city election is for the mayor and the council members for Wards 1, 3 and 5. Blue Earth County · May 5, 2026

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