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.
  • Build your ballot before voting. Print or email the information to use as a reference when you actually vote.

We do not save your information; it will be lost when you leave this page. Only candidates that appear on your ballot will be listed. Additional information may be available for your area so be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page for other voters’ guides.

Start Over

Voter Guide

Hennepin County Park Commissioner District 3

This board operates as a separate regional park system outside of the city of Minneapolis. It manages large-scale natural resources, winter recreation areas, and extensive regional trail corridors throughout the rest of Hennepin County. Its seven-member board includes five commissioners elected from suburban districts and two appointed by the Hennepin County BoardIf your candidate didn’t fill in the guide below, visit the Secretary of State’s Candidate Filing site (https://candidates.sos.mn.gov/) to find contact info. If you reach out, ask candidates to complete their Vote411 Voters Guide from the LWVMN!Watch a candidate forum for this race recorded on September 16, 2026.CCX Media - Candidate Statement - Rachel BraatenCCX Media - Candidate Statement - Erin Kolb

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

    Rachel Braaten
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Erin Kolb
    (NP)

Biographical Information

Why are you the best candidate for this position? (750 characters)

If elected, what will your top three priorities be and why? (500 characters)

How is this office important to constituents? Please provide details of any plans for improvement. (500 characters)

If elected, how will you balance competing interests, such as your own values and opinions, input from park staff and fellow board members, and diverse views from the community? (500 characters)

How would you ensure that all of our County facilities and parks are accessible to all members of our community? (500 characters)

{_btnLabelFor(compare1, _isInSelection(compare1))}
{_btnLabelFor(compare2, _isInSelection(compare2))}
Candidate response is not yet available.
Candidate response is not yet available.
Candidate response is not yet available.
Candidate response is not yet available.
Candidate response is not yet available.
Campaign Website http://erinforparks.com
Campaign Email erinforparks@gmail.com
I've spent more than a decade working on parks: ten years on Crystal's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, including terms as Chair and Vice Chair, and the last four years representing District 3 on the Three Rivers board. As a Senior Director at a consulting firm, I oversee large budgets and complex projects, and I bring a practical, accountable approach to serving taxpayers. On the board, I've focused on helping more people connect with nature and enjoy our parks, from bringing Outdoor School for All opportunities closer to home to making sure District 3 residents feel the benefits of the system they help fund. I bring experienced, nonpartisan leadership, and I want to finish what we've started.
1) Outdoor School for All: connecting Three Rivers with existing funding so more kids can experience nature close to home. 2) Equitable access: working with cities and counties to bring more programs and amenities into District 3, so residents feel the benefits of the system they help fund. 3) Conservation: continuing care for the natural areas we protect, so they're here for the next generation.
Three Rivers parks are where families play and neighbors get outside together. We help people of all ages take the mystery out of new outdoor experiences, from a first hike to a first time on skis. The board decides how public dollars are spent to care for and improve our parks. District 3 is made up of first-ring suburbs, so I'm focused on partnerships with local cities and counties to bring more programs and amenities into our neighborhoods, including new amenities at Sochacki Park.
I start by listening. Park staff bring deep expertise, fellow commissioners bring the perspectives of their districts, and residents know what their neighborhoods need. When Silverwood Park's future was under review, I asked hard questions about cost, then heard from hundreds of residents who love it. The board chose a plan that kept its programming and expanded partnerships. That's how I work: ask tough questions, listen, and find practical, nonpartisan solutions.
Access means more than a ramp or a paved trail, though those matter. It means parks close enough to reach, programs people can afford, and spaces where everyone feels welcome. I'll keep pushing for partnerships that bring amenities into developed suburbs like ours, support fee and transportation assistance so cost isn't a barrier, and expand programming for people who are new to the outdoors. Our parks should be safe, accessible, and welcoming for everyone.
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.

VOTE411 is brought to you by the League of Women Voters Education Fund and League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund. The League of Women Voters does not support or oppose any political party or candidate for office.