St. Louis County, Minnesota

St. Louis County Commissioner District 1

2 candidates are tracked for St. Louis County Commissioner District 1 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Annie Harala and Kris Eilers. Candidate information follows official St. Louis County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Kris Eilers and Annie Harala advanced from the August 11 nonpartisan primary with about 50 and 39 percent, eliminating John Socha, 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. The sitting officeholder, Annie Harala, is on the ballot.

Minnesota › St. Louis County › St. Louis County Commissioner District 1

Annie Harala

Nonpartisan Incumbent

Top priorities

Regional collaboration across county and city lines
Steady delivery of core services including health care, broadband and infrastructure

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Harala serves as St. Louis County Commissioner and currently chairs the County Board, the first woman elected to that role in two decades, per the campaign site. Harala's background spans public health, youth development, construction and small business ownership, and includes chairing the county's Public Safety and Finance committees, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Kris Eilers

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Wants to protect water quality in the St. Louis River and Lake Superior
Supports an immediate ban on county elected officials signing nondisclosure agreements
Wants increased transparency and restructured public comment periods at county board meetings

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Eilers has served as Executive Director of the St. Louis River Alliance since 2015, after earlier roles there as project manager and acting director, per the campaign site. Eilers has helped secure tens of millions of dollars in state and federal funding for river remediation and has spent more than a decade advocating in Congress for Great Lakes restoration and clean water funding, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotSt. Louis County Commissioner District 4

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for St. Louis County Commissioner District 1 in 2026?

When is the St. Louis 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 St. Louis 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 St. Louis 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 St. Louis County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your St. Louis County ballot

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

Also on your ballot

St. Louis County Commissioner District 6 St. Louis County Auditor/Treasurer St. Louis County Sheriff See all 27 St. Louis County races

Candidate profiles

Annie Harala, full profile Kris Eilers, full profile Official Minnesota election office