DECIDION 2026

Legislative candidates talk about possible

committee assignments

The Dodge County election series is back. As voters get ready to vote on crucial local races the DCI will be asking candidates for local, county, school district, and state house seats a question each week leading up to the Nov. 3 election. The goal of the series is for voters to understand where candidates stand on various issues. Dodge County Attorney, and County Commissioner candidates will answer questions on opposite weeks to accommodate space. Unopposed candidates will not be participating in the weekly series. Suggestions on questions can be submitted to dcielections@gmail.com

This week we introduced Dodge County Attorneys who talked about how they will approach learning more about different areas of the law. Legislative candidates were asked about what committees they hope to be on if elected next year — which play a critical role in the legislative process.

Next week will ask Dodge County Commissioner candidates what they view as the top issue that needs to be tackled in the county.

Legislative candidates will be asked who they plan on voting for in the governor’s race primary (Republicans) and the U.S. Senate race (DFL)

Question of the Week:

If elected, what approach will you take to learning 
the different areas the elected county attorney is responsible for?

Dodge County Attorney

Crysta Parkin

With over 10 years of experience in the Dodge County Attorney’s Office, I have a strong working knowledge of the areas of responsibility of the elected position as I have observed what the elected does and been given the opportunity to carry out tasks in some of these areas by the current elected. I have worked with the county administrator, county commissioners, and department heads and have never hesitated to ask questions about an area I am less familiar with.

I am comfortable reaching out to neighboring electeds for advice when I do have questions and I have routinely consulted with the Steele and Waseca County Attorneys on issues related to Minnesota Prairie County Alliance, our human services organization. I have participated in meetings with other electeds across the Third Judicial District to address issues affecting all of our counties.

I will continue to participate in the Minnesota County Attorneys Association (MCAA) which is open to all elected and assistant county attorneys. The MCAA has a wealth of information and experience to draw from when questions arise about issues our offices face. The MCAA also has meetings and resources specifically for elected county attorneys which I would fully participate in.

Kailee Thompson

Learning any new area of law requires reading the statutes, reviewing case law, attending trainings, and asking for help when needed. The best way to learn is to ask for help from those who have experience. Attorney Kiltinen has been in the position for over 30 years, so after I have done my own research, I would ask him for some guidance. Another wonderful resource is the Minnesota County Attorneys Association (MCAA), which serves as the main network for all the county attorneys and assistant county attorneys in the state. The association has many purposes, including providing resources for county attorney offices and a lifeline to ask for advice on a variety of topics. Many county attorneys are willing to help because we share a common goal. Additionally, given that the majority of the caseload within the county attorney’s office is criminal cases and I am currently a prosecutor in the office, I would be able to transition into the county attorney role with a solid foundation.

Question of the Week:

If elected, what committee (s) will you ask to serve on?

LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES

House District 24A
Heather Holmes —
DFL

There are a number of committees I would be interested in serving on. However, I’d most like to serve on Education Finance and on Health Finance and Policy.

I served two years on the Byron School Board, so I understand school funding formulas, special education cross-subsidies, and the budget pressures rural districts face firsthand. I want to bring that experience to state-level funding decisions to ensure that our schools in smaller communities are able to thrive without having to rely on expensive levies and referendums.

Rural EMS services in my district are under real strain. I want to work on EMS reclassification as an essential service and expand community paramedicine models like the Sprint Medic pilot, which is already showing results in three rural counties. Everyone should have access to the care they need regardless of their zip code.

Both committees let me work on issues I am passionate about and already know at the ground level, not just the policy level.

SENATE DISTRICT 24
Simon Glaser — 
DFL

As a public school teacher and union leader, some of the top issues that inspired me to run for office are raising wages and lowering costs for working families and fully funding our public schools. If elected, I would like to serve on the education finance committee and labor committee to help achieve those goals.

In my 30 years as a teacher, I have developed a deep understanding of the struggles of working families, because I have seen and worked with those struggles every day. That is why I have dedicated years of my life to advocating for the needs of working families through my union.

I believe that public education is a vital institution in our country, but especially in rural areas, it has been a struggle to get schools the funding they need. I also believe that our country is strongest when working people can thrive by earning fair, family-supporting wages for their labor. By taking my advocacy and years of service on both of these fronts to the state legislature, I hope to help ensure that all Minnesotans can live a happy, dignified life with access to quality education and fair pay for a hard day’s work.

House District 24A
Duane Quam — Republican

Healthcare

K-12 education

Government Operations

Environment and Energy

Senate District 24
Nels Pierson — Republican

In my eight years of being a member of the Minnesota State House of Representatives I served on the Agriculture Committee. In that role I felt I was best able to serve folks in the 14 townships in the district I represented at that time. Growing up on a dairy farm I still feel I have a connection to and would like to serve on those significant committees where I feel I could have a positive influence on one of the most important industries to our state and region.

The Health and Human Service committee is also significant to the region. As a State Representative I served on various versions of that committee as well. I was consistently an advocate for reform and change to reimbursement rates and providing additional access to rural areas. Ensuring long term care facilities were sustainable and working to provide services within facilities was also a focus of my work. I was also recognized for my advocacy for the deaf and blind during my time in the State House.