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.
Mayor
Larry Bol
Incumbent: No
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
Robert Vlaisavljevich
Incumbent: Yes
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
City Council (Elect Two)
Aaron Johnson
Incumbent: No
Age on Election Day: 40
Where are you currently employed, and what is your role?
Owner Johnson's Twin Pines Farm
Please share any prior experience that you believe qualifies you for office.
As a small business owner I have the unique perspective of trying to start a business in the city of Eveleth and knowing the struggles that business owners face during that process. The city council's job is to increase the business tax base to ease the tax burden of the citizens. And I believe my experience will help me with that.
Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.
Expansion of small business
Why are you running for office?
To help make the city of Eveleth a city people want to live in.
What are your priorities, if elected? Please describe specific policy goals.
Eliminate bureaucratic roadblocks to small business expansion within the city.
Across the region, renters and owners are struggling to afford housing. If elected, what would you do to address the issues of availability and affordability for your constituents?
One way to make housing affordable is to make more opportunities for people to make a livable wage.
What effective policies will you support that will prepare your city now, next year and in the future to improve resiliency against climate change?
Continuing our cities work of planting trees on boulevards that will provide shade over the pavement which can help mitigate some of the heat island effects.
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 believe everybody should pay their fair share, and a broader tax base allows everybody's rates to be lower.
How do you plan to improve transparency and trust in government?
Require meetings to be held at a time where working citizens can afford to show up.
Joseph S. Koivunen
Incumbent: Yes
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
Brian Lillis
Incumbent: Yes
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
Anna Tomczak
Incumbent: No
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.
-
In spring, eggs have been collected at Cut Foot Sioux walleye spawning site in Deer River, MN, since the 1920s. Fertilized eggs are transported throughout the state. -
Plus: How precincts within Senate District 6 voted in the special election; and area robotics teams head to the MN state competition. -
Chastity Brown returns to Northern Minnesota for Get Downtown with KBXE on Thursday, May 1, 2025.
