The Ballot Brief
Kittson County, Minnesota

Minnesota House District 1A

2 candidates are tracked for Minnesota House District 1A on the November 3, 2026 ballot: John Burkel and Leanna Sandahl. Candidate information follows official Kittson County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

John Burkel (Republican), Leanna Sandahl (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) are on the November 3 ballot for Minnesota House District 1A; John Burkel is the sitting member, per the Minnesota House of Representatives's official member directory (house.mn.gov). Nominees were chosen at the August 11, 2026 primary (where contested) or qualified directly for the general ballot. The field is the Secretary of State's certified candidate table; Minnesota prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, John Burkel, is on the ballot.

Minnesota › Kittson County › Minnesota House District 1A

John Burkel

John Burkel

Republican Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Reducing regulatory burden on farmers
  • Fighting waste, fraud, and mismanagement of public funds
  • Supporting parental involvement and local control in education

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Burkel is a fourth-generation turkey farmer in Badger, Minnesota, who spent 20 years on the board of Northern Pride, Inc., a grower-owned turkey processing cooperative, serving as chairman from 2016 to 2020, per the campaign site. He also served on the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association board and the National Turkey Federation's executive committee, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Leanna Sandahl

Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Biography

Leanna Sandahl is the Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate for Minnesota House District 1A on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Secretary of State's certified candidate table. Received the Education Minnesota endorsement as a candidate for House District 1A, which covers Kittson, Marshall, Pennington and Roseau counties, per Education Minnesota. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.

Next on your ballotJudge, Minnesota 9th Judicial District Court, Seat 1

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Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Minnesota House District 1A in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for Minnesota House District 1A on the November 3, 2026 ballot: John Burkel and Leanna Sandahl. Candidate information follows official Kittson County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Minnesota House District 1A 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 Kittson 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 Kittson County and state election office filings, last verified September 25, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Kittson County ballot

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

Also on your ballot
Judge, Minnesota 9th Judicial District Court, Seat 2Judge, Minnesota 9th Judicial District Court, Seat 4Judge, Minnesota 9th Judicial District Court, Seat 5See all 20 Kittson County races
Candidate profiles
John Burkel, full profileLeanna Sandahl, full profileOfficial Minnesota election office