KAXE contacted every candidate twice using contact information submitted to the Secretary of State's Office to invite them to participate in our Election Guide.
Candidate responses have not been edited and are published as submitted.
As necessary, our news team added contextual information clearly marked with an "editor's note" and in italics, though responses have not been uniformly fact-checked. With our small team of three, we are unable to proactively fact check every statement made by candidates. But 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 only includes candidates in contested races. Visit our full list of who's running for office in Northern Minnesota to see who else is on the ballot.
Jack Aakhus
Incumbent: No
Age on Election Day: 40
City/Township of residence: Bemidji
Where are you currently employed, and what is your role?
Homemaker - husband, father, teacher, coach, dad's taxi service, money manager, event coordinator :)
Please share any prior experience that you believe qualifies you for office.
Nine-and-a-half years working in education; as a Counselor of at-risk youth, substitute teacher, full-time teacher, and coach.
Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.
The School Board directs the policies, priorities, finances, and culture of the district. They work with stakeholders to ensure an education that maximizes student potential and that prepares students for adulthood and fruitful citizenship.
Why are you running for office?
I love this community and want to see it thrive. I believe that my training and experience will bring an informed perspective that will help align the priorities of the Board with those of Bemidji parents. I want to do my part to be of service to the community by helping out students to reach their potential.
What are your priorities, if elected? Please describe specific goals.
1. Restore trust: Parents should feel confident that school leaders share a positive and unifying vision with them. This vision prioritizes academic achievement, fiscal restraint, safety and discipline, and transparency from those in positions of leadership. Community members should feel welcome and heard in the educational process.
2. Resolving the $2.3 million dollar budget deficit: I plan to lead a deep-dive audit, using my experience and common sense, to identify reductions that do the least harm to student achievement and that keep teachers in our classrooms. No stone will be left unturned. We also need to address our declining enrollment numbers, which greatly affects the budget. Many parents were alienated with decisions made during the COVID era. To bring those families back, confidence needs to be restored in District leadership.
3. Achievement: Over the past few years proficiency in math, reading, and science has fallen dramatically in Bemidji and across Minnesota. The reasons for this are debatable. I hope to achieve an academic revival that reverses this trend, by prioritizing resources toward academic opportunity, fostering parent-teacher partnerships, and galvanizing our community in support of scholarly achievement.
What do you believe are the biggest challenges facing your district, and how do you plan to overcome them?
Our biggest challenges coincide with my priorities: restoring public trust, resolving the budget deficit, and bolstering academic proficiency, as mentioned in the previous question. I plan to overcome these challenges by working in consultation with colleagues, parents, teachers, and administrators to bring our culture and policies in line with those of Bemidji parents, thus working as a team toward a common vision.
High taxation is a concern for many Northern Minnesotans. Please share any specific opinions you hold related to taxation, and how you plan to ensure tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively.
I am a tax-payer who believes that government at every level owes a duty to the public to spend funds with transparency, accountability, and with every effort made to increase efficiency and eliminate waste. The public is in favor of classrooms that are focused on academic achievement and which produce results. My experience provides an informed perspective regarding prioritization of academic resources. A healthy dose of common-sense is also helpful. A new referendum should only be considered once the public has been made confident, through actions and results, that increased funding is warranted and deserved.
How do you plan to improve transparency and trust in your school board?
With an open door and an open mind. I believe that being a local (raised in Bemidji) parent of 3 school-age kids, as well as a former teacher, gives me a unique perspective that bridges the gap which often exists between parents and teachers. I can understand both perspectives and can offer solutions and guidance to benefit those who we care about the most - our children.
Todd Haugen
Incumbent: No
Age on Election Day: 67
City/Township of residence: Turtle Lake Township
Where are you currently employed, and what is your role?
retired
Please share any prior experience that you believe qualifies you for office.
I served on the Bemidji School Board for 8 months after being appointed to the board in March of 2022. As a full time radio broadcaster at that time, I was unable to run for election to the board because of FCC rules requiring equal access to airtime on the station for my opponents. I have worked with kids extensively over many years in mentoring programs and for 32 years on the Radiothon To End Child Abuse on Paul Bunyan Broadcasting.
Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.
School Boards are responsible for policy and spending decisions for public school districts. They supervise one district employee; the Superintendent. The Superintendent in turn supervises all other district employees.
Why are you running for office?
Because I love kids and I believe in public education. If I'm elected I will have time to be a fully engaged board member since I have retired from full time work.
What are your priorities, if elected? Please describe specific goals.
We must first balance our budget. I would also work to improve school security. I want to improve the academic performance of our students, especially at the secondary level. I would like to add more mental health services access for our students, and I would like to expand the district's pre-K program if we can afford it.
What do you believe are the biggest challenges facing your district, and how do you plan to overcome them?
Expanding services access while balancing our budget. We're in the midst of a 2.3 million dollar budget deficit. We appear to be on track to fix that over the next few years, but any expansion of district programs is going to be a challenge. If we can convince some of the families in our district that are choosing other educational settings for their kids to come back to ISD-31, we might be able to fill the gap and move forward more quickly.
High taxation is a concern for many Northern Minnesotans. Please share any
specific opinions you hold related to taxation, and how you plan to ensure tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively.
The property tax is Minnesota's most regressive tax. Some residents have already told me that they are being taxed out of their homes. That's why we have to be determined to fix our budget problems ourselves with prudent spending, a renewed effort to increase enrollment, and lobbying of legislators for more financial help. At a minimum we should expect the state to fix the transportation formula, where we are losing 1.6 million dollars this fiscal year, while some other districts in the state are running a surplus with their transportation dollars.
How do you plan to improve transparency and trust in your school board?
Better communication, more visiblity and accessiblity as a school board member. The district is already expanding their social media presence. That will definitely continue, whether I'm there or not. Again, if I do get elected, I now have time to attend more events and to respond more quickly to people's communications. Trust is increased when elected officials are better listeners, and better at responding to people's concerns. As a broadcaster, communication is something I've done a lot.
Nicole Jaranson
Incumbent: No
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
Carol L. Johnson
Incumbent: Served 2004-2022 and am looking forward to serving another four years on the Bemidji School Board
Age on Election Day: 66
City/Township of residence: Bemidji
Where are you currently employed, and what is your role?
I work part-time at Sanford Health in the Food Service department as a cafeteria cashier. I am retired from a 37 year career at Ken K Thompson Jewelry.
Please share any prior experience that you believe qualifies you for office.
I have been elected five times to the Bemidji School Board serving 2004-2022. I served on the following committees: Personnel, Curriculum, Finance, Property and Scholarships. I completed numerous phases on leadership development for the Minnesota School Board Association and received the President’s Award for MSBA. I have attended Bemidji Day at the Capitol for thirteen years advocating for education, transportation funding and special education funding. I have participated in workshops on school safety presented by FEMA and observed response exercises by local law enforcement.
I have been a private piano teacher for over forty years. I accompany musicals productions presented by the Bemidji Community Theatre with include many children in the casts.
Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.
The School Board is responsible for setting policies. They hire the Superintendent and work with the Superintendent. They set a strategic plan and budget. The board is a connection to the community.
Why are you running for office?
I am running for another term on the Bemidji School Board because I support public education. I support Bemidji Area Schools, students and staff. I have eighteen years of experience that I feel is needed on the board.
Like any board or team, there needs to be a balance of experienced members with new members. I believe in mentorship. There is a learning curve. Being on the Board of Education is an Education.
What are your priorities, if elected? Please describe specific goals.
A priority for me is to focus on marketing our wonderful school district. We have so much to offer students with academics, athletics, arts and so much more. We need to send a positive message to our community on a regular basis about what’s happening in our schools.
What do you believe are the biggest challenges facing your district, and how do you plan to overcome them?
We have financial concerns. Again, marketing our district could bring in more students therefore increasing our revenue. Also, impressing on our legislators that unfunded mandates negatively affect school districts. Transportation and Special Education are at the forefront. We also need to communicate to our community all of the positive aspects of our district and what we do for kids.
High taxation is a concern for many Northern Minnesotans. Please share any specific opinions you hold related to taxation, and how you plan to ensure tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively.
We have to work together with our entire team throughout the district to operate efficiently. We are responsible and respectful when spending our tax dollars.
How do you plan to improve transparency and trust in your school board?
What is the basis for this question? We are a public education school board. Regular monthly meetings are open to the public. Work sessions and special meetings are open to the public. Meetings include public participation with listening sessions preceding. In my eighteen years of experience, I have never felt this was an issue. I would welcome a conversation with those who do.
Julie Laitala
Incumbent: Yes
Age on Election Day: 49
City/Township of residence: Bemidji
Where are you currently employed, and what is your role?
Sanford Eye Clinic - Bemidji
Please share any prior experience that you believe qualifies you for office.
I am a Lead Ophthalmic Assistant. I have worked there since February of 2020. I was awarded a Sanford Hero Award for Community my first year there. I had unskilled as a CNA to work in the COVID Unit. I worked my full time job plus 12 hour shifts to help our community cope with the pandemic. I am honored to pay for a parking spot at Sanford and that money goes to United Way to help pay for backpack buddies. I was a Certified Pharmacy Tech at my dad's local pharmacy that I worked for for 23 years. I was his pharmacy manager and took leadership courses through PDS. I won a Leadership award from them for Outstanding Leader. I love volunteering in our community from holiday meals, to soup kitchen, to coaching soccer, to being on the soccer board. I like participating in things like the dragon boat races and the Blue Ox 5k. My husband and I, along with a close friend, own Revolution MMA Fitness. I am BHS Alumni and love our community. I was on the Varsity Soccer team for 4 years. I still love going to BHS games and activities. My husband graduated the same year I did from BHS, 1994. Our son graduated from BHS in 2015, our daughter in 2021, and we currently have a daughter in 10th grade at BHS. I understand the importance of public schools and am thankful to the stakeholders that provided me with my own public education. I have served 2 years on the ISD 31 School Board and see the wonderful things our public schools offer. I believe we always have work to do, and overall our schools, children, and staff are brilliant.
Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.
To support public schools and to make sure no harm comes to our children and staff while being accountable to our stakeholders. To be an honest leader that always leads with integrity and who has knowledge about how our public schools function and how school finances and budgets work.
Why are you running for office?
To make sure we continue to have honesty and integrity on our school board and to make sure our children have the freedom to learn. To ensure that all voices are heard and that all children and staff are being represented. To communicate in language that all community members understand especially when it comes to finances and policies. To show our community why it's important for us to invest in our children's education and what it means for our society.
What are your priorities, if elected? Please describe specific goals.
Truth and Integrity. We must start with the basics. If we're lying, fear mongering, or saying whatever we want to get what we want, that's not being transparent with our families, community, or stakeholders. If enrollment is down, we need to look at how much fear mongering played a role in that. And flat out lies about about our public schools and staff. Then reaching out to those families with the truth. Working with our legislators to get the federal government to start paying more to our districts. If we're going to have our public officials demand we pay our teachers more, then they need to provide us with more federal dollars. The majority of the dollars shouldn't come off the backs of us hard working property tax payers. Let's start listening to our children more and making sure our quieter community voices are heard too. They deserve to be represented also. Our children need to know they are supported and that their community wants them to succeed!
What do you believe are the biggest challenges facing your district, and how do you plan to overcome them?
Honesty. We need to start with that. It doesn't matter who you are, from administration, to teacher to community member to stakeholder, to school board member, we must continue to be honest in everything we do. If we want our children to be successful then we need to be good role models for them. We need to show our community all the good our teachers, staff, and students are doing each and every day. As a society we like to focus on the negative things. But what we need to realize is that the good things outnumber the bad things by a lot! And it's ok to celebrate the good while taking steps to fixing things that need improvement. We need to quit getting "facts" off social media. If you have questions about the district go to those running it. If we don't have a answer right away, we'll get it.
High taxation is a concern for many Northern Minnesotans. Please share any specific opinions you hold related to taxation, and how you plan to ensure tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively.
Public schools are the only entity that needs to bring things to a vote by the public. Our county and city can increase our property taxes (up to a certain amount) without asking the taxpayers. We opted to extend our levy this year for 10 years so our taxpayers didn't feel the burden of inflation. Inflation affects schools also. Rising costs that affect the taxpayers are the same rising costs that affect schools and their budgets. Back in 1647 when Massachusetts decided that communities should pay for public schools since it benefitted those communities the most, it made sense. Those children stayed in the community. In present day, our children leave our communities. We need our federal government to step up and pay more to districts than they currently are.
How do you plan to improve transparency and trust in your school board?
There needs to be trust with the Superintendent and the school board. If you don't have that at the top, it won't trickle down. The school board needs to stand in unity even if the vote was split or you lost a decision.
Public schools get audited every year on their budgets. Their meetings are public. Their special sessions are public. Their committee meetings are open to the public. They release statements about safety issues or concerns. Administration, Teacher and Para salaries are public knowledge.
This includes the Superintendent salary. We need to communicate in language that all community members understand. If you don't support public schools or are running on any kind of agenda you need to be upfront and honest about that. No one should want to harm our children or staff, but if that's your intention, you owe our community, stakeholders and especially our children the truth!
Ann Long Voelkner
Incumbent: Yes
Age on Election Day: (Field left blank)
City/Township of residence: Bemidji, Turtle River Township
Where are you currently employed, and what is your role?
I am a civil servant, employed by the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Chippewa National Forest. My role as the Walker District Ranger is to work with people to successfully provide our country with sustainable forest resources such as lumber to build houses; a variety of public recreation opportunities; wildlife habitat and mineral resources. Partnerships, co-stewardships and collaboration are my focus to successfully meet the needs of present and future generations.
Please share any prior experience that you believe qualifies you for office.
I am an experienced Bemidji Area School Board member. My focus is working with Board members, superintendent, teachers, staff, parents and community on providing the best learning environment for students and staff. I intend to achieve that goal through listening to the community, teachers, staff, parents and students and applying sound governing principles.
I have Chaired the Board for many years, as well as served in on Board Committees including Local Indian Education Committee, Finance, Policy, Community Education, Facilities and Personnel. I have successfully advocated to develop Strategic Plans focused on high expectations for student achievement, quality instruction, student support and belonging; safety, district culture, community connections, and fiscal responsibility all with clear goals toward implementation. I have represented Bemidji and Northwestern Minnesota while serving on the Minnesota School Board Association and both the MN and Regional Service Cooperative Boards.
Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.
As a School Board member, I represent our community. My service and the Board's role is to ensure effective, efficient, and equitable delivery of high quality education to all the school district's students through adoption of policy. This includes listening to and working with our community's students, teachers, parents/guardians/families, superintendent, staff and community members. The Board's role is also to hire, direct, and evaluate our Superintendent.
Why are you running for office?
I am running for office because I believe the most important work we can do within our communities is to provide quality education for all young people. Our young people are our community and country's future. My focus is to empower all students to achieve their fullest potential by providing high quality education with our excellent teachers and staff. I am committed to building on what I have learned within my Board service over years - learning new methods when needed; adapt changes where necessary; and seeking to continuously improve.
What are your priorities, if elected? Please describe specific goals.
My priorities/goals include:
1) Create and maintain a supportive learning environment that works toward the following - improves achievement for all students; all students graduate from high school; and all racial and economic achievement gaps between students are closed.
2) Foster a sense of belonging for all students by creating and maintaining a safe and welcoming environment.
3) Continue building trust and transparent communications with teachers, families, community and to create, enhance and maintain a safe and welcoming work environment that is secure and focuses on well-being for staff.
4) Continue and enhance transparent and effective community connections through communication around, but not limited to finances, safety, and academic achievement. Engage with our families and community partners to build cooperative relationships, partnerships and investments that support teaching and learning in our District.
What do you believe are the biggest challenges facing your district, and how do you plan to overcome them?
There are many challenges and there are three I'll mention now - Increasing student enrollment; increasing state and federal funding; and hiring bus drivers. Overcoming challenges includes the School Board aligning to build shared knowledge, values and commitments to address each issue.
Increasing enrollment includes working to understand family educational choices, the what and why of those choices and how we can adapt to possible changes, to enhance our programs and to encourage and create accurate, transparent and quality communications opportunities. Then to act on what we've agreed to that will increase enrollment.
State and Federal funding has not kept up with inflation over two decades. This means we are operating with 15% less funding per pupil now than 20 years ago. We need to legislatively advocate for increases reflecting annual inflation; and fully funding ISD31 Bemidji's special education, transportation, and any future summertime unemployment costs.
High taxation is a concern for many Northern Minnesotans. Please share any specific opinions you hold related to taxation, and how you plan to ensure tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively.
School Boards have no taxing authority on their own. Minnesota law requires School Districts to provide people an opportunity to vote on local commitments to finance public education. School levies provide funds directed toward operations (salary, buses, desks, food service, community services etc.). School bonds provide for building new facilities and/or significant structural changes to existing buildings.
There is an existing voter approved ISD31 Bemidji school levy providing 12.9% of the schools budget. That financial support by our community represents the existing mix of critical educational investments in our youth/students. Financial transparency, including audit outcomes, along with continued factual communication are key for support and understanding of where, what, why and how funding is and will be spent. Trust must be established amongst local voters to successfully support our student's quality education.
How do you plan to improve transparency and trust in your school board?
Effective school boards have a collaborative relationship with staff and the community and establish a strong communications structure to inform and engage both internal and external stakeholders in setting and achieving District goals. The 2025 School Board must work at creating that strong collaborative relationship to improve transparency and trust through a variety of means.
Increasing the quality and quantity of Board and District communication is key to transparency and building trust. Existing and newly added communication tools includes newsletters to parents, descriptive editorials on subjects in the newspaper; monthly pre-meeting radio conversations about Board meetings; engaging in additional radio conversations about current school events and opportunities; and enhanced social media communications to share staff and schools focus events/stories, and opportunities to engage.
I voted as a Board member to continue the public comment agenda topic within the Board meeting and also recently to continue provide a listening session prior to the meeting. Community and staff members asking questions; commenting on proposals/issues/positive experiences both to Board members and the Superintendent all contribute to transparency and trust in that there will be people listening and acting.
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.
