Itasca County, Minnesota

Itasca County Commissioner District 1

2 candidates are tracked for Itasca County Commissioner District 1 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Cory Smith and Lonny Witkofsky. Candidate information follows official Itasca County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Lonny Witkofsky and Cory Smith advanced from the August 11 nonpartisan primary with about 41 and 35 percent, eliminating Chris Reed, per the Minnesota Secretary of State's certified results; the top two meet on the November 3 ballot.

What this office does

County commissioner. The county board is the county's legislative and, in most states, executive body. Commissioners adopt the county budget and property tax rate, oversee roads, the jail, public health, planning and zoning in unincorporated areas, and appoint or confirm department heads. In counties with an elected county executive or judge, the board's role is mainly the budget and ordinances.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot.

Minnesota › Itasca County › Itasca County Commissioner District 1

Cory Smith

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Fighting unfunded state mandates
Supporting the Mesabi Metallics project and quality jobs
Revitalizing the logging industry

Per the KAXE.

Biography

KAXE identifies him as the sitting District 1 commissioner, but incumbency could not be confirmed against an official county roster within this review, so it is recorded as false. He told KAXE he wants to fight against nonfunded mandates while backing the Mesabi Metallics project. No campaign website was found as of September 6, 2026.

Lonny Witkofsky

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Rebuilding the logging industry
Attracting new industry including an OSB plant
Freezing senior property taxes

Per the KAXE.

Biography

In KAXE's questionnaire he sets a first year goal of an OSB plant starting construction, which he says would create more than 300 jobs. He also proposes freezing property taxes for seniors. No campaign website was found as of September 6, 2026.

Next on your ballotItasca County Commissioner District 3

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Itasca County Commissioner District 1 in 2026?

When is the Itasca County Commissioner District 1 election in Minnesota?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Minnesota are on the Minnesota election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Itasca County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Itasca County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Minnesota election office, or see the full Itasca County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Itasca County ballot

30 tracked races in Itasca County, Minnesota. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Itasca County Commissioner District 5 Itasca County Auditor/Treasurer Itasca County Recorder See all 30 Itasca County races

Candidate profiles

Cory Smith, full profile Lonny Witkofsky, full profile Official Minnesota election office