Did you know there is an election this year? On November 7, 2017 voters in our area will be asked to select candidates to serve on the School Board for the Mankato Area Public Schools. This body is responsible for the education of our most valuable asset – our children – and for responsibly managing nearly $100 million in your taxpayers dollars. It’s critical that you exercise your right to vote in this important election.

But how are you supposed to know which candidate to vote for? Greater Mankato Growth is here to help! Profiles of candidates running for School Board for the Mankato Area Public Schools are now available online on Greater Mankato Growth’s election website greatermankato.com/candidates.

Candidates were asked to complete an online profile, including biographical information, as well as respond to a questionnaire. The questionnaire enables voters to gauge a candidate’s perspective on characteristics that are essential for effective public servants and that will represent the area well in areas not only impacting business, but the overall vitality of the region at large:

• Understanding of the core responsibilities of the elected position they seek
• Views on key issues and how to impact them
• Role of the public office they seek in promoting business vitality and economic development
• Fiscal responsibility and the effective and efficient use of public dollars
• Open communication and accountability
• Compromise and consensus

Greater Mankato Growth strives to serve as a non-partisan information intermediary, providing education, resources and opportunities for engagement on public policy issues to our members, so they can be their own best advocate. Elections are one of the most important and effective ways citizens can make their voices heard. By providing our members, as well as the broader community, access to the information presented in these candidate profiles, we hope to enable them to make informed voting decisions.

Our online candidate portal is routinely one of the top viewed web pages on Greater Mankato Growth’s website and speaks to the value votes place in this information. We welcome all community members to share this important information with their colleagues, friends and networks.