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.

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Voter Guide

Mound City Council Member {_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 28, 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

    Mike Bang
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Alex Guelcher
    (NP)

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    Joanna Kahn
    (NP)

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    Paula M. Larson
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Tyler Pieper
    (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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elect Elect 2
Campaign Website http://joannaformound.com
Facebook (Full URL) http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565478489557
Campaign Email kahn.joanna@gmail.com
Mound has so much potential, and it’s being squandered by people who are afraid of change. Let me tell you: that’s not me. In the past decade, I transitioned from high school teacher to prison teacher; I had three kids in three years; I moved from California to Mound, sight unseen; I went from knowing not a single person in this city to being on the ballot. I’m ready to revitalize the city and move us forward in terms of adding opportunities for business and recreation. After spending my professional career in the public sector, I am more than comfortable working with the bureaucracy involved with politics. My daily life is centered around Mound and I and have firsthand experience with many of the daily issues that arise in our city.
1) Build the water treatment plant without delay; since 2021, our water has been undrinkable 2) Increase city engagement and investment in our downtown to support our entrepreneurs and provide residents with in-town social and recreational opportunities 3) Complete Lost Lake Commons Parks according to already-approved community-created plans and budget; we should have an art walk, fire pit, shade structure by the Farmer’s Market, and more.
There’s nothing I love more than connecting with people in our community. There’s a good chance you’ll run into me just living daily life: I work at the WAC, have kids in school at Hilltop, volunteer with my daughters’ Girl Scout troops, and patronize many local businesses. In my time on the Parks Commission, I started a quarterly parks column in our city newsletter, instituted a yearly Parks table at the Farmer’s Market, and increased recruitment efforts for our Adopt-a-Park program.
As a 6 year Mound Parks Commissioner, I’ve worked hard to increase resident involvement in park redesign by instituting a neighborhood survey to determine priorities, and then inviting residents to Parks Commission meetings to provide feedback on potential renovation options. I would continue that work as a Council Member, by increasing citizen feedback options and creating focus groups to help craft changes to city policies. Residents want to be involved in change and decision-making.
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I have a passion for getting things done and am optimistic about Mound’s future. These factors drove me to volunteer hundreds of hours in our city, including submitting and winning a grant for one of our parks, serving on the Parks and Open Spaces Commission, coaching, and other activities. I am passionate about making life better for my neighbors, especially when it involves our lakes, shorelines, and natural areas. My 15 years of professional experience as a communicator will allow me to lean into transparency and open lines of feedback. As a parent and 13-year resident, I want to assist in making Mound better now. But I also know that we need to think long-term to deliver meaningful results.
- Water: I support construction of the treatment facility and will pursue strategic actions to protect our lakes. - Long-Term Planning: Mound sought input from citizens for our 2040 Comprehensive Plan, and I see unfinished items as a challenge. With the 2050 Plan on the horizon, I'm seeking actions to keep us on track. - Collaboration: I will continue to find affordable ways of getting things done for Mound. One way is to increase partnership with entities like Hennepin County and Three Rivers.
Seeking public input before moving ahead with key decisions is a way to involve all the voices of a community. Providing avenues for residents to shape policy and long-term planning is just as important as strong communication and outreach to keep them informed. And as communities like Mound grow and change over time, we need to reach residents in the manner that works best for them.
We should keep residents informed without overcomplication. With tough issues, it is crucial to communicate clearly. Emphasizing public input in the early stages of city decisions is another way to involve residents proactively, rather than after the fact. Transparency and accountability increase when residents are part of the process. I applaud how city staff has improved outreach through social media and other communication channels recently and would encourage similar efforts going forward.
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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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