North MankatoNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

North Mankato Mayor & City Council Election 2026

3 of 5 council seats are on the ballot, with 10 candidates running. Updated Oct 5, 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.

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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.

Voters choose one mayor (two-year term) and two at-large council members (four-year terms); Billy Steiner and Jim Whitlock hold seats through 2028.

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

01New Public Works Facility and its financing4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council approved a $21,505,625 guaranteed maximum price on a 3-2 vote on June 1, 2026, and the Port Authority sold $27 million in bonds backed by the city.

What's on the tableWhether and how the city carries the building's debt and added costs in coming budgets.

02Industry Court street and utilities3 sourced facts

Where it standsA new street, Industry Court, is being built to serve the Public Works site, with the low bid at $682,222.53.

What's on the tableHow the city and Port Authority pay for streets and utilities ahead of private development.

032027 city property tax levy4 sourced facts

Where it standsCity staff's Sept. 8 presentation showed a proposed 2027 levy of $11,577,250, up 13.2% from 2026.

What's on the tableHow high to set the 2027 levy and tax rate, and which staffing, debt and project requests to fund.

04Data center moratorium5 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council held a hearing on an interim data center moratorium in August but tabled the ordinance; a public hearing was scheduled for Sept. 21.

What's on the tableWhether to adopt a one-year interim moratorium on large data centers and at what size threshold.

05Local sales tax increase and recreation facility3 sourced facts

Where it standsIn January the council declined to take up a request to the legislature to increase and extend the local sales tax.

What's on the tableWhether to revisit seeking authority to raise the local sales tax to fund capital projects.

2 notes on these statements

Scott Carlson (mayor) and council members Sandra Oachs and Matt Peterson have terms expiring in 2026. City of North Mankato

The city's local candidates page lists a candidate forum hosted by Greater Mankato Growth and KTOE on Sept. 29, 2026, and League of Women Voters of St. Peter forums. City of North Mankato

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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. What should the city do about the new Public Works Facility?

  2. 2. How much should the 2027 city tax rate rise?

  3. 3. What should North Mankato do about large data centers?

  4. 4. Should the city seek a higher local sales tax for capital projects?

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 voted6 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): Billy Steiner, Jim Whitlock3 on this ballot

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

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

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