North BranchNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

North Branch Mayor & City Council Election 2026

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

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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.

Your houseWhat does your North Branch house pay?A North Branch house at the typical market value ($322,300) pays about $9,000 a year. Enter your address for your own number: property tax from the county's record, water, trash and energy, and the money dates ahead.

The candidates

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

Voters choose a mayor and two council members at large. Two council members are not up this year.

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.

  • Governor
    • Amy Klobuchar · Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    • Lisa Demuth · Republican
    • Steven Young · Green
    Official candidate list, in its order
  • U.S. Senate
    • Peggy Flanagan · Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    • Michele Tafoya · Republican
    • Marisa Simonetti · Independent
    • Rebecca Whiting · Libertarian
    Official candidate list, in its order
  • Also statewideSecretary of State · State Auditor · Attorney General · Associate Justice - Supreme Court · Judge - Court of Appeals
  • U.S. HouseDistrict 8
  • State SenateDistrict 28
  • State House of RepresentativesDistrict 28B (52% of North Branch residents) · District 28A (48%)
  • Statewide measures1 on the ballot: the state's official explanations
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

01License-plate reader cameras3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council approved a Flock Safety contract in May 2026, then paused the rollout in August and voted to bar installing license-plate readers indefinitely.

What's on the tableWhether the city ever installs license-plate readers, and how it exits the Flock contract.

  • The council approved a three-year, $63,000 Flock Safety contract for seven cameras on May 13 in a 3-2 vote. Hometown Source
  • Three of the seven cameras had been installed but were not operating when the council acted on August 12. Hometown Source
  • Administrator Matthew Hill said the equipment was leased, the city may have to wait for Flock to remove it, and exiting the contract might incur a penalty or surcharge. Chisago County Press · Aug 21, 2026
022027 property tax levy3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council set a preliminary 2027 levy increase of 9% on September 9; the final levy is set in December and cannot exceed it.

What's on the tableThe final 2027 levy, and which of equipment, police and parks requests to fund.

03Police staffing and equipment2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council hoped to fund equipment, another police officer plus a parks manager, and more for parks and streets, but members said not all three fit in 2027.

What's on the tableWhether the 2027 budget adds police staff, and in what form.

  • Mayor Schieber said the Equipment Replacement Fund is a high priority and that the city cannot do all three funding areas this year. Hometown Source
  • The police chief suggested adding a community service officer to free up sworn officers' time; police overtime versus new staff also needs more discussion. Chisago County Press · Sep 25, 2026
04Northwest Old Town improvements2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council approved a stripped-down version of about $2.1 million that will not be assessed to Old Town property owners.

What's on the tableFinal design approval, bidding and construction of the project.

05High-utility-user facilities moratorium1 sourced fact

Where it standsThe council placed a six-month moratorium on high-utility-user applications starting July 22, while the planning commission drafts ordinance language.

What's on the tableWhat rules apply to data centers, cryptocurrency mining and similar facilities.

3 notes on these statements

Tom Davis filed for North Branch City Council and then withdrew his candidacy. Hometown Source

Council member Patrick Meacham, appointed to a vacated seat, declined to run for a full four-year term. Isanti-Chisago County Star

Two council seats are on the ballot and two candidates, Jim Ibinger and Pete Johnson, are on it. City of North Branch

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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 North Branch use automated license-plate reader cameras?

  2. 2. How should the city add police capacity?

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 voted4 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.New · How North Branch is runWho runs North Branch, and what it costsThe city administrator earns $160,000. See council pay, whether the city is in the red, and where your property tax goes.Your houseA North Branch house at the typical market value ($322,300) pays about $9,000 a yearProperty tax, water, trash and energy, line by line for your address, plus the savings most owners miss.

Key dates

The seat math

2 stay (not up this year): Robert Canada, Jeff Goulet3 on this ballot

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

  • North Branch has a Council-Administrator form of government, with a mayor elected for a two-year term and four at-large council members serving staggered four-year terms. City of North Branch
  • Council members are nonpartisan and there is no primary; candidates file with the City Clerk. City of North Branch
  • Mayor Kevin Schieber voted yes on the Flock contract in mid-May, alongside council members Patrick Meacham and Robert Canada; Jim Ibinger and Jeff Goulet voted against. Isanti-Chisago County Star

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