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.

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Voter Guide

Goodhue County Sheriff

The County Sheriff keeps peace and enforces laws to protect life and property. They respond to both emergency and non-emergency requests for law enforcement services and develop an effective, motivated workforce through education, training, and career opportunities. They also execute all processes, writs, precepts, and orders issued or made by lawful authority, attend upon the terms of the district court, and investigate recreational vehicle crashes involving personal injury or death that occur outside the boundaries of a municipality. Sheriffs maintain the charge and custody of the county jail and provide a secure and safe correctional facility with other law enforcement agencies.Watch a candidate forum for this race recorded on October 15, 2026.

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  • Candidate picture

    Marty Kelly
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Joshua Stehr
    (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)

What procedures would you implement to improve or maintain transparency in the sheriff’s department’s activities? (500 characters)

How would you describe your leadership style and how that qualifies you for the role of sheriff? (500 characters)

What can the sheriff’s office do to help respond to the need for gun violence prevention and safe communities? (500 characters)

What role, if any, do you think the sheriff’s office should play in immigration enforcement? (500 characters)

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I bring more than 37 years of law-enforcement experience in Goodhue County. I began as a Red Wing patrol officer in 1989 and served as a School Resource Officer, investigator, field training officer, field training sergeant, and patrol sergeant before being elected sheriff in 2018. I also served as a medico-legal death investigator and hold a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement with a minor in psychology. As sheriff, I have focused on professional staffing, training, accountability, emergency response, technology, and community relationships. I understand this office from the ground up and have the experience to lead it into the future.
My three priorities are: 1) Maintain a professional, well-trained and properly staffed Sheriff’s Office. 2) Strengthen public safety and emergency response through strong patrol, investigations, specialized teams, dispatch, emergency management and technology. 3) Build strong community relationships through communication, accessibility and programs such as Badges and Bobbers and our school initiatives. These priorities support a safe, responsive and prepared Goodhue County.
Transparency begins with accountability. I will continue expanding communication with the public through social media, community outreach and regular engagement with local officials and residents. We have implemented body-worn cameras for licensed staff and expanded their use in the Adult Detention Center, while digitizing records and strengthening training and oversight. I expect the Sheriff’s Office to be open, professional and accountable in how we serve the public.
My leadership style is collaborative, supportive and accountable. My job as sheriff is to help our employees succeed by providing the resources, training and encouragement they need to do their jobs well. I believe employees should have the opportunity to make mistakes, learn from them and move forward. I encourage collaboration, professional development and leadership at every level while maintaining clear expectations and accountability.
The Sheriff’s Office has a responsibility to protect our communities while respecting everyone’s constitutional rights. We take seriously our role in administering firearms permits and permits to carry and in following the law fairly and consistently. We can also promote safe communities through education, strong relationships with residents and schools, effective investigations, and partnerships with other public-safety agencies.
Immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, and the Sheriff’s Office should not take on that role. Our responsibility is to enforce state and local law and protect the people of Goodhue County. When someone is arrested, we will cooperate with federal immigration agencies by notifying them of the person’s custody and release time when required. If federal authorities are present at release, the person may be transferred to them. Otherwise, we will not hold someone beyond the time allowed
Because I'm not corrupt, a coward, or a liberal and I have a lot of life experience. I am a Christian and Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and I try to live out His example...not just on Sunday mornings...but all the time. I fail at this a lot...but I will keep trying until He calls me home.
Ending corruption in Goodhue County, protecting citizens and deputies Constitutional rights, protecting my deputy’s minds, bodies and souls, fighting fraud and using taxpayer money conservatively and efficiently. Promoting cooperation and collaboration with other LEOs and agencies and not dividing them starting by keeping the RWPD at the LEC and not wasting Red Wing taxpayer money having to build another PD.
Not use encrypted radio frequencies where it is not necessary, frequent updates of calls for service in newspapers/online, jail rosters, warrant rosters. Regular updates from the Sheriff to the citizens about activities, trends, programs at the Office. Always open to ideas.
Servant leadership that does not prioritize selfish motives like money and power over protection of my deputies and citizens of Goodhue County like the current Sheriff and County Administrator et al failed to do. I would sacrifice myself or my job to protect deputies and citizens from politicians and "leaders" careless and malicious rhetoric, fear-mongering, deception and corruption.
Make sure all citizens are aware of their 2nd Amendment rights, encourage them to utilize them, and help train them to be effective deterrents to crime and if necessary use their firearms to protect other citizens, their families and themselves from violent criminals.
Full cooperation and collaboration with ICE and all other law enforcement agencies. I would deputize my deputies as immigration enforcement officers if feasible.
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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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