Minnesota and North Dakota Voter's Guide

Forum Communications Co., in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Minnesota and of North Dakota, is providing this voter guide to help keep you informed ahead of the 2024 election.

  • Learn where candidates running for office in your community stand on the issues.
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Voter Guide

Northfield City Council Member Ward 4

As local legislators who sometimes have executive power, council members can propose ordinances, set administrative policy, and authorize the budget proposed by the mayor. They oversee all city activities, including city services, programs, licensing, and public safety. Mayoral appointments to city government typically require council approval.Learn more here: https://www.lwv.org/blog/voting-local-matters-why-vote-city-councilWatch a candidate forum for this race recorded on September 26, 2026.

Click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate. To compare two candidates, click the "compare" button. To start over, click a candidate icon.

  • Candidate picture

    James Clinton
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Peder Jothen
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Dave "Superdave" Juntunen
    (NP)

Biographical Information

Rising taxes are a high priority in the community. What is your process for budgeting and prioritizing projects?

What are your solutions for addressing the housing shortage and affordability issues in our community?

How will you engage with constituents you represent if elected to the Northfield City Council?

How do you view the balance of power in Northfield between the city admin/staff and the mayor/council?

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Campaign Website http://votepeder.com
telephone 4432575880
Campaign Email pjjothen@netscape.net
I will focus on community-driven, transparent decisions about spending public money, thereby working with city staff to be responsive to public concerns. Priorities should be to balance manageable property tax increases with thoughtful investments in Northfield, from improving parks and climate sustainability, enhancing the downtown business district to developing shovel-ready residential and commercial sites. Such investments enhance Northfield's livability, balancing present and future needs.
Caring about Northfield's livability, we need to be creative about ways to we use city resources to grow our tax base, develop affordable housing, and invest in the future. I will engage developers and city staff around barriers that limit affordable housing and emphasize public-private partnerships to find new ways to incentivize the construction of a variety of housing options. We might rethink regulative structures while pushing the city to be more active in leading residential development.
Building off my experiences on the Northfield Park Board and the Friends of Way Park, I care about listening and learning from those I represent. I don't pretend to have all the answers and think that a diversity of views helps us work together to come up with the best possible solutions to the problems we face. As a college professor, I'm a pragmatic problem-solver, one who works to build consensus around solutions to local issues. I will work to ensure that the voices of Northfield are heard.
On the one hand, city staff works hard to keep Northfield a vibrant community; on the other hand, the city hasn't always been responsive to citizen concerns and/or communicated effectively about the design, need and vision for infrastructure projects (ex. bike lanes). I see a councilor's role as asking hard questions of the city and holding staff accountable to justify the larger vision behind policy choices. There should be clear and thoughtful oversight of the staff on the part of the council.
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Powered by League of Women Voters Education Fund

The League of Women Voters of Minnesota and North Dakota crafted the questions sent to the candidates in the Spring of 2024. They reached out to candidates based on contact information in their public candidate filings. Candidates with email addresses were invited and reminded with emails. Candidates with only mailing addresses were sent a letter. Candidates with phone numbers received a phone call as well.

Candidate responses are published as they responded and have not been edited, except when responses were longer than the given character limit. In those cases, the responses are truncated.

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