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.

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Voter Guide

Blaine City Council Member Ward 1 {_getChooseLabel(this.selections.length)}

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-councilUse the MN Secretary of State’s Candidate Filing page (https://candidates.sos.mn.gov/) to find specific candidate contact information.Watch the latest candidate forum for this race here (September 10, 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

    Tom Newland
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Alex Tierney
    (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 do you plan to engage with and represent all members of our diverse community?(500 characters)

What steps will you take to ensure transparency and accountability in city government? (500 characters)

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The City Council has not been supportive of Manufactured Homes and we need more manufactured homeowners as champions at all levels of government, that’s why I am stepping up. The city of Blaine has six manufactured home parks, with two of the largest in the state of Minnesota. Aside from living in a manufactured home myself, affordable housing is also an issue that I've heard from a lot of people door knocking as a community organizer. We've increased business in Blaine, we're redeveloping Highway 65 and the population is increasing; we are on track to projected 90,000. Young people also do not have an avenue to home ownership; let alone renting. We need both places for people to live and ways to keep people in their homes, not more greed.
No more corporate welfare - The rich need to pay their fair share; no more multi-million dollar private deals or tax breaks at your expense

Affordable housing - the city of Blaine is in a housing crisis. We are underdeveloped for the needs of our community. We need to develop more affordable places to live

Pressure private equity - Firms are buying out manufactured home parks and jacking up the rent to unsustainable levels. The best way to prevent homelessness is to keep people in their homes
I believe in dignity for all people. Dignity in short means that we should have a multiracial democracy that honors every person’s civil rights; we are all in this together regardless of our sex, gender, race, creed, or economic status. No one should ever be afraid to be their authentic self. As a community organizer I have developed ties to my neighbors in manufactured homes, I have been welcomed with a full heart at MAS. "We all do better when we ALL do better" - Paul Wellstone
I think the 1st step is that we need to ensure free and fair elections giving all eligible people with the right to vote their chance to have their voices heard. I also think that there should be more availability for politicians to interact with their constituents, I am genuine in my ask for a partnership in that reguard. On a broader level I think money needs to get out of politics both in purchasing candidates, which being honest is a bipartisan problem, and in candidates business practices.
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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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