MontevideoNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Montevideo Mayor & City Council Election 2026

4 of 5 council seats are on the ballot, with 6 candidates running. Updated Oct 20, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

Not sure who to vote for? Answer 4 questions and see which candidates agree with you, and why.

Find your match: 4-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 · 12 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.

All voters citywide choose the mayor, three council members for full terms, and one council member in a special election for the last two years of a vacated seat.

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.

What the next council decides

012027 budget and property tax levy4 sourced facts

Where it standsIn September 2026 the council adopted a preliminary 2027 levy of $3,994,165, a 9.48% increase over 2026 ($3,648,200).

What's on the tableHow much of the preliminary levy increase to keep in the final 2027 levy and budget.

  • The preliminary 2027 budget for all funds has total revenues of $16,771,381 and total expenditures of $15,645,584. City of Montevideo · Sep 21, 2026
  • The council set the public comment meeting on the 2027 budget and levy for Monday, December 7, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. City of Montevideo · Sep 21, 2026
  • At an August 2026 budget worksession, the finance director said that with no levy increase there is a shortfall of $609,464 with the requests from the capital plans, and that each 1% levy increase provides about $25,000. City of Montevideo · Aug 3, 2026
  • At the same worksession, a local sales tax option to help fund a new pool was discussed, with direction given to start that process sooner than later. City of Montevideo · Aug 3, 2026
02Flock license-plate cameras2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe police department uses two Flock license-plate cameras under a three-year subscription the council approved in August 2025.

What's on the tableWhether to keep, limit or end the city's use of Flock cameras.

  • In September 2026 a resident presented the council with signatures on an online petition and her concerns about Flock camera use in Montevideo. City of Montevideo · Sep 21, 2026
  • In January 2026 the police chief said the department does not track movements of individuals or vehicles without probable cause or a search warrant unless there is a life and death situation. City of Montevideo · Jan 5, 2026
03Blighted and hazardous properties2 sourced facts

Where it standsIn September 2026 the council amended the city's fee schedule to shorten the time before penalties begin on blighted properties.

What's on the tableHow quickly and at what cost the city cleans up or demolishes blighted properties.

  • In July 2026 the council directed staff to seek proposals each year so the city has a contractor and hourly rates for blight clean-up and demolition. City of Montevideo · Jul 6, 2026
  • In August 2026 the council gave the owner of a hazardous building at 615 North 5th Street 30 days to remove or demolish it, or the city may take further action. City of Montevideo · Aug 3, 2026
04Carnegie Library building2 sourced facts

Where it standsIn February 2026 the council directed staff to seek removal of the Carnegie Library from the National Register of Historic Places and get demolition quotes.

What's on the tableWhether to pay to demolish the Carnegie Library building and when.

05Workforce housing and the comprehensive plan2 sourced facts

Where it standsIn May 2026 the council voted to support a 9-year economic development TIF district and a 6-year tax abatement as the local match for a private workforce housing project.

What's on the tableWhether to create the TIF district and tax abatement for the project, and what the new comprehensive plan says about growth.

3 notes on these statements

Gwyn Stenson and Jarrod Flinn were appointed in May 2026 to seats vacated by Dean Matthys and Bryce Curtiss; a special election on November 3, 2026 fills the rest of the term (2 years) vacated by Dean Matthys. City of Montevideo · May 11, 2026

James Bulman is the only candidate for mayor and Kenneth Carskadon is the only candidate in the special council election. Minnesota Secretary of State

Chippewa County offers extended early-voting hours, including Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Chippewa County

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. Should the police department use Flock license-plate cameras?

  2. 2. Should the city start penalties sooner on owners of blighted properties?

  3. 3. Should the city remove the Carnegie Library from the historic register and demolish it?

  4. 4. Should the city use tax increment financing and tax abatement to help build workforce rental housing?

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 voted11 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

1 stay (not up this year): Beverly Olson4 on this ballot

5 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

  • The five members of the city council are elected at large and serve staggered four-year terms. City of Montevideo
  • The mayor is elected at large to a two-year term and does not vote but acts as the CEO of the city. City of Montevideo
  • A council president is selected from among the council members and serves for a two-year period. City of Montevideo
  • City council meetings are usually held on the first and third Monday of each month. City of Montevideo

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.