Local Government is for Everyone: Is this the year you run for office?
By Dawn Schreiber and Lizzy Haywood
For most, holding a local office doesn’t sound very glamorous, but local officials hold a surprising amount of sway. When it comes to land stewardship, the most influential local officials often serve as County Commissioners, on a Township Board, or on the Soil and Water Conservation District board. They decide whether policies such as zoning rules or water quality rules need review and oversee the distribution of state conservation funding requested by local farmers. For example, when a farmer seeks a variance (exception) from a land use ordinance, county Planning and Zoning commissioners decide whether that variance will be approved. Minnesota is a state where local control laws are strong, which means that people serving in county and township government play a critical role in shaping the Minnesota we need!
Running for or holding a local office isn’t something many of us are familiar with, so we reached out to a few people holding these important seats to ask them about their experience and process. Below we summarize some of the information we gleaned on how they ran for local office and what it took to win, what the day-to-day of holding office looks like, and where they are making gains for the future of our air, water and soil. We also address common questions and share basic information for those considering a run themselves.
HOW TO RUN
Each of the folks we spoke with had a helping hand to serving in office: one was appointed to fill a vacancy and the other was recruited by a retiring board member. As a first step, we recommend taking inventory of the landscape of your county’s elected officials. Are there retirements, open seats, or existing vacancies? Find your districts by visiting the state’s website. Then learn whether any of your local seats are up for election by calling your County Administrator or by going to www.landstewardshipaction.org/local-government
While we’ve just past the 2026 candidate filing period, you can still get on the ballot as a write-in candidate (reach out to your County office about this process) or read on to learn more for a future run. Regardless of which local office speaks to you, to help you make an informed choice about whether the job is right for you, our interviewees highly recommend attending a meeting or two of the elected body you are interested in. They did and found it to be very helpful. Additionally, you can head to the Minnesota’s Secretary of State’s website which has a good run down of the requirements and forms. The SOS’s site also lists candidate filings so you can see who will be on your ballot in the fall!
WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN: A NOTE ON CAMPAIGNING AND CONNECTING WITH VOTERS
Whether or not a seat is contested will impact how much a candidate needs to campaign. In many cases, open seats receive little interest; 70% of regular elections in Minnesota in 2024 were uncontested. The elected officials we talked to didn’t have to campaign – no yard signs, parades, ads or social media accounts required. But in a contested race, it’s important to have a plan, and know why you want this position and why you are the best candidate for it.
Your “why” will always be your most important tool. Are you motivated by an important issue? Are you compelled to public service? Have you been encouraged to run by someone in your community? Finding your “why” and being able to articulate it is the most important thing you can do to connect with voters. When door knocking, keep your message focused on your strengths and ambitions for this particular office, rather than on comparing yourself to your opponent or running them down. Good experiences are shared with friends and neighbors and can catapult your campaign’s reach. Successful candidates find help with a trusted circle of people who can soundboard ideas, test-drive messages and review data about the district.
Local campaigns are generally low-cost, and you may not need to fundraise extensively or at all, depending on the race. Free campaigning opportunities abound – social media, introducing yourself by door knocking or even chatting with folks over coffee at the farmer’s market. Often, counties will host public forums where voters can get to know local candidates. Additional ways of messaging include yard signs, printed fliers, newspaper ads and a website. Direct outreach to people in your district can be key to winning a local election. When connecting with voters, your “why” is the most important. Turn it into a clear message you can share during any conversation.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I WIN: THE DAY-TO-DAY OF HOLDING OFFICE
If you ever find yourself elected into office, there are some fundamentals to know. From a time and money angle, holding public office isn’t going to make you rich. You can expect monthly or biweekly or weekly meetings, and there will be prep time involved for each meeting. Most elected positions come with a cash stipend per meeting attended and mileage reimbursement. Before the first meeting, familiarize yourself with the Robert’s Rules meeting structure and read previous meeting minutes to get up to speed.
There is training available to support newly elected officials. The people we interviewed stressed the value of the county staff in helping them navigate their new roles. Martin County SWCD Chair Chantill Kahler Royer said she asked tons of questions and found the staff to be a great resource, and they never seemed to tire of her questions. Fillmore County SWCD Chair Jason Wetzel mentioned training and orientation with state officials was super helpful. If you get elected to a SWCD seat, the Soil and Water districts of Minnesota are supported by “The Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) is a nonprofit that exists to provide leadership, educational opportunities and a common voice for Minnesota’s Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) members.” Additionally, there is the Minnesota Association of Townships and the Association of Minnesota Counties.
THE GLORY: WHAT’S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST WIN SO FAR
Getting money into the hands of farmers for applying conservation practices is the big reward for the SWCD supervisors we talked to. Kahler Royer shared her enthusiasm for the opportunity to help implement innovative conservation practices in her district. Wetzel shared a similar sentiment when he talked about a grant that allowed their program to financially support not only new practices but also offset expenses for farmers whose conservation practices have become a habit.
Another thing Wetzel has valued in his service was witnessing the different voices and perspectives weighing in on board decisions. Having varied voices from farmers, bankers, hunters and conservationists on the board is the heart of democracy.
A common thread in our interviews for this article was the importance placed on practicing civility with all. Kahler Royer may have said it best: If I think that I could say one thing is just that we may disagree on things, but we all need to treat one another with respect and that goes in all directions, right? From elected person to their representative or to their constituents and vice versa… Humans just need to treat one another with some respect, right?
Ultimately, stepping forward to run – especially where seats often go uncontested – is one of the most direct ways to shape the future of your community’s land, water and resources. In lieu of waiting for someone to directly ask you, take the information presented here and go for it, or share it with a friend you think would make a good public servant because maybe they’re just waiting to be asked.
Lizzy Haywood and Dawn Schreiber are members of LSP’s Land Access and Emerging Farmer Steering Committee and LSA’s 2026 Electoral Committee. Through these roles they’ve been instrumental in shaping LSP’s voice at the MN State Capitol and building long-term political power. Lizzy lives in Houston County, MN and Dawn in Martin County, MN.