KAXE contacted each candidate at least twice to invite them to participate in our Election Guide, using contact information submitted to the Secretary of State's Office.
Candidate responses have not been edited and are published exactly as submitted, including typos and formatting.
As necessary, our news team added contextual information clearly marked with an "editor's note" and in italics. We will make every effort to make note of inaccuracies if they come to our attention.
Please contact our news team at news@kaxe.org with questions or comments or to report any errors.
KAXE's Election Guide includes contested races in communities with at least 100 people. Visit our full list of who's running for office in Northern Minnesota to see who else will be on the ballot in November.
About these races
The county board is responsible for governing its county, including by approving the budget. Generally, counties are responsible for the following: property tax assessment, tax administration, elections, record keeping, transportation, planning and zoning, solid waste management, environment, parks and water management, law enforcement, courts and health and human services.
County Commissioner District 3 includes the southeast corner of the county, including a portion of White Earth Nation. The incumbent is Larry Olson, who is running to reelection.
Commissioner District 4 includes the cities of Bejou and Mahnomen in the northwest corner of the county. The incumbent is Karen Ahmann, who is not running for reelection.
The sheriff is a county's chief law enforcement officer, tasked with keeping and preserving peace. The current sheriff is Josh Guenther, who is running for reelection.
The winners of these elections will begin their four-year terms in January.
Click the tabs below to learn more about the candidates
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
Incumbent
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
Age on Election Day: I’ll be 34 on Election Day.
Community: My wife and I are both originally from Waubun, and after my Honorable Discharge from the USMC we moved back to Waubun
Employment: Currently I’m employed at the White Earth Police Department as a Lieutenant who oversees investigations and patrol divisions.
Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.
I am a graduate of Waubun High School and have built my career around service, leadership, and public safety. I served in the United States Marine Corps as a Military Police Officer, including multiple deployments to the Middle East. My military service taught me discipline, accountability, teamwork, and how to lead under challenging circumstances.
I have continued that commitment to service through my career in law enforcement with the White Earth Police Department, where I have gained extensive experience in patrol, investigations, community policing, and working collaboratively with other agencies. I have also served in a supervisory role, leading officers and working to build a proactive, professional, and compassionate law enforcement culture. I re-established the department’s K-9 program and have prioritized training, officer development, and strong relationships with the community.
My education, military service, law enforcement experience, and leadership background have prepared me to serve as Mahnomen County Sheriff.
Why are you running?
I’m running for Mahnomen County Sheriff because I believe our community deserves a sheriff who is present, accessible, accountable, and committed to putting public safety first.
I’ve spent my career serving others. From serving our country as a United States Marine to serving my community as a law enforcement officer. I’ve seen firsthand what strong leadership can accomplish when you take care of your people, invest in your officers, and build trust within the community.
I’m running because I believe the Sheriff’s Office can be more proactive, more transparent, and more connected to the people it serves. I want to bring a boots-on-the-ground approach to the position, strengthen relationships between agencies, invest in training and our deputies, and make sure our resources are focused where they matter most: protecting the people of Mahnomen County.
This isn’t about a title. It’s about service, leadership, and making our community safer.
Why should voters elect you?
Voters should elect me because I bring a combination of military leadership, law enforcement experience, education, and a genuine commitment to the people of Mahnomen County.
I served our country as a United States Marine and Military Police Officer, including multiple deployments to the Middle East. I have continued that service in law enforcement, gaining experience in patrol, investigations, community policing, and supervision.
My education in Business Management along with Human Resource and Organizational Management along with my experience gives me a strong foundation to manage the Sheriff’s Office, its resources, and its people.
I have earned the endorsement of the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office deputies. I believe that speaks volumes about the trust they have in my leadership and my ability to move the department forward.
I will be an accessible, accountable, boots-on-the-ground sheriff who puts public safety first.
Name a public leader you admire and explain why.
I’ve had many leaders throughout my life who have shaped the way I lead, but one I particularly admire is General James Mattis. His leadership was built on preparation, accountability, discipline, and taking care of the people he was responsible for. He understood that leadership isn’t about having the title, it’s about earning the trust and respect of those you lead. That philosophy continues to shape the kind of leader I strive to be.
What is the biggest challenge facing the sheriff’s office, and how would you address it if elected?
I believe the biggest struggle facing the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office is building and maintaining a strong, well-trained, and motivated workforce. In a small rural agency, every deputy matters. We need to recruit good people, retain the people we have, invest in their training, and create a culture where deputies feel valued and supported.
As Sheriff, my focus would be on developing our people, improving training, strengthening relationships with other agencies, and making sure our deputies have the resources and leadership they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. When we take care of our deputies and hold them to a high standard, they are better prepared to take care of the community.
Please describe your stance on local law enforcement coordinating with federal immigration authorities.
I believe local law enforcement should work cooperatively with ICE when it involves legitimate criminal investigations and public safety. At the same time, immigration enforcement is primarily a federal responsibility, and our deputies should remain focused on protecting the people of Mahnomen County. Working cooperatively is a two way street.
How would you build effective relationships with other agencies and offices, including tribal law enforcement, the state attorney general’s office and other county sheriffs?
Mahnomen County is unique, and our relationship with tribal law enforcement is especially important. I would work to strengthen communication and cooperation with White Earth law enforcement through regular meetings, joint training, and clearly defined expectations for working together. When someone calls 911 in Mahnomen County they are not asking to send one agency or the other, they are asking for help.
I’ve worked directly with the AG’s office and US Attorneys office on multiple cases. I was the the FBI Safe Trails Task Force and the Paul Bunyan Drug Task force. These are comprised of officers, agents, and deputy’s from all different agencies.
As sheriff, I want Mahnomen County to be known as an agency that others can call when they need help, and one that isn’t afraid to ask for help when our community needs it. No single agency can do everything alone.
How would you seek to address the intersection of mental health issues and criminal justice in calls for service and your jail?
I would focus on proper mental health screening, continuity of medications, access to appropriate services, and creating a plan for people transitioning back into the community. The goal is not just to house someone until they are released, but to connect them with resources that can help prevent them from returning to the criminal justice system in turn lowering the recidivism rate.
This takes cooperation. No single agency can solve the mental health challenges we face, so I would make those partnerships a priority.
I would work closely with White Earth Public Health, Mahnomen-Norman Public Health, and both Human Services departments to build a stronger network of support.
Incumbent
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
Still have questions for the candidates? Contact information for all those who've filed to run for office can be found at candidates.sos.state.mn.us.
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