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

Ely City Mayor

The role of city mayor can vary from city to city. However, the mayor is usually the head of the city and may represent the city in front of other government bodies. A mayor also usually has a role in proposing a city budget that is approved by the city council. The budget influences the services the city provides to its residents. Mayors sometimes are voting members of city council, and in some cities the mayor is in charge of city council meetings.

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

    Heidi Omerza
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Emily Roose
    (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)

If elected, what strategies will you use to ensure transparency, accountability and ethical conduct in city government under your leadership? (500 characters)

How will you engage with residents to solicit feedback, involve them in decision-making processes, and ensure their voices are heard? (500 characters)

How will you approach public safety and community policing to ensure the well-being of all residents? (500 characters)

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Campaign Email heidiomerza@gmail.com
I bring 20 years of proven service, real results, and deep roots in Ely. As a board member, councilmember, and now Mayor, I have secured millions in state and federal funding for our water system, housing, and economic development. I have led Ely through a wildfire emergency, an LGA unallotment crisis, and many contract negotiations, staying steady when it mattered most. I teach here and raised my four children here. My family is woven into this community at every level. I have bipartisan relationships with state legislators, built over two decades, that give Ely a seat at the tables where decisions get made. Experience, connections, and commitment. Ely cannot afford a learning curve.
Economic recovery from the wildfire impacts: Our businesses and tourism industry need relief now. Completing funded projects already underway: Trailhead Apartment Homes, Water Supply Project, infrastructure, and parks. Expand workforce housing and childcare so businesses can hire, young families can stay, and Ely can grow. These are not new ideas: They are commitments already in motion that need experienced leadership to see them through.
Every decision I make goes through open council meetings, enters the public record, and is available to anyone who asks. When invited, I have given a State of the City address: a direct, honest accounting of where things stand. Same rules, same process, every time, no matter who is asking. If you have a question about how or why a decision was made, ask me — I will answer it. That has been my standard for 20 years, and it will not change."
I maintain an open door. Residents can reach me directly, and I respond. I actively seek voices that do not show up at City Hall: local business owners, seniors, young families. When residents bring ideas or concerns to the council, they deserve a real answer, not just a thank you. Representation means listening first, then deciding.
Public safety is foundational, and residents need to feel secure at home and in their community. I support our local law enforcement and believe in community policing built on trust and relationships. Local officers know Ely and its people; that strength is one we continue to support. I will ensure our public safety resources are adequately funded, that officers have the tools they need, and that all residents, in every neighborhood, feel equally protected and respected.
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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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