Annual Meeting and Elections

Dakota Electric Association is democratically governed by elected members who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. We depend on the guidance and perspective of our board to help set priorities for the co-op and guide governance decisions.

Annual Meeting

As member-owners, all Dakota Electric members are invited to attend and ask questions at the cooperative’s annual meeting, typically held in the month of April. Annual Meetings provide members with information about the cooperative’s growth, financial health, board election and programs available to members.

Related Links

Annual Election Information

BOARD OF DIRECTOR ELECTION

A 12-person Board of Directors, consisting of and elected by members, governs the cooperative. Dakota Electric’s Board of Directors acts on behalf of the membership to guide operations and future planning for the cooperative.

The Board of Directors is comprised of three members from each of its four districts. Directors serve three-year terms and are elected by you, our member-owners. Each year, one seat in each of the four districts is up for election. Any eligible member may seek election in the district in which they reside. Dakota Electric encourages all members to vote.

Dakota Electric hires third-party contractor Survey & Ballot Systems to run its annual elections. Two weeks prior to the annual election, each member will receive their director election ballot in the mail from Survey & Ballot Systems. Each ballot includes instructions on how to vote by mail or online, as well as all director candidate biographies. Director candidate biographies can be viewed in advance by clicking on the districts listed below.
Ballot Box
INTERESTED DIRECTOR CANDIDATES

Members interested in seeking election for a Director seat should follow this page closely or contact [email protected] for more information. All interested candidates must apply via the application form on this website by the deadline.

The application link will be available on December 29, 2025. Completed applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on January 15, 2026. To be eligible for the ballot, all candidates are required to be available and participate in the following:

  • January 28, 2026 (afternoon/evening) Nominating Committee interviews (in-person at Dakota Electric Headquarters*)
  • January 29, 2026 (afternoon/evening) Nominating Committee interview backup date (in-person at Dakota Electric Headquarters*)
  • February 12, 2026 (morning) Director candidate orientation/election rules meeting (held in-person with the option to join virtually)

*Interviews will take place in person, but accommodations for other suitable means may be granted to Director candidates due to extenuating circumstances.

ATTENTION: UPDATE TO APPLICATION PROCESS

Candidate Biographies used on the election ballot will now be submitted as part of the online application. As in past years, biographies must be 125 words or less and focus on your skills, experiences, qualifications, & goals, and should not address other candidates. Biographies can include links to a personal campaign site or social media profile as long as it fits within the 125-word limit. Biographies will be published as received and only edited by Dakota Electric staff to fit ballot formatting. Candidates shall ensure all proper grammar and spelling is used.

  • Candidates who have previously run for a Dakota Electric Board of Directors seat are allowed to use their biography from a previous year, and should indicate as such using the checkbox on the application.
  • Candidates will have the opportunity to review their section of the ballot before being finalized.

The Cooperative reserves the right to verify the information on a candidate’s application both for accuracy and to ensure they meet all eligibility requirements, as outlined in the Cooperatives Bylaws. If an application is found to have deficiencies, Dakota Electric staff will immediately inform the candidate of the specific deficiency using at least one of their provided contact methods. Any application that has not been cured of all deficiencies before the filing deadline will be deemed invalid.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Every year, Dakota Electric seeks interested members to be part of our annual election process by serving on the Nominating Committee.

The window for Nominating Committee applications closed on 5:00 p.m. on December 3, 2025.

For questions related to the Nominating Committee or overall election process, please reach out to [email protected] or 651-463-6132.

2026 Nominating Committee

District 1
Derick (Jon) Dautel
Robert Erickson

District 2
Hunter Vraa
Raymond Yarwood

District 3
Arlene Sheldon
Donald Vasatka

District 4
Ian Benson
William Raker

Districts

Districts are ordered from left to right (1-4) and contain approximately the same amount of members.

Boundaries

Western Boundary

District One’s western border aligns with the western edge of the service territory.

Eastern Boundary

The boundary between District One and District Two starts on the north edge of Dakota Electric’s service area at Hwy. 13 (Old Sibley Memorial Hwy.) and 12th Ave.; then south on 12th Ave. 0.2 of a mile to Parkwood Dr.; then south on Parkwood Dr. 0.6 of a mile to Burnsville Pkwy.; then east on Burnsville Pkwy. 0.7 of a mile to county state aid highway (CSAH) 11; then south on CSAH 11 1.1 miles to Hwy. 35E; then southwest on Hwy. 35E 0.6 of a mile to CSAH 11 and CSAH 38 (McAndrews Rd.); then south on CSAH 11 1.1 miles to CSAH 42 and LacLavon Dr.; then south on LacLavon Dr. 1.5 miles to CSAH 46 (162nd St. W.); then west on CSAH 46 0.4 of a mile to Ipava Ave.; then south on Ipava Ave. 0.3 of a mile to 165th St. W.; then east on 165th St. 1.3 miles to Highview Ave.; then south on Highview Ave. 1.4 miles to CSAH 9 (Dodd Blvd.); then south on Dodd Blvd. 10 miles to CSAH 46 (Pillsbury Ave.); then south on CSAH 46 (Pillsbury Ave.) 1.5 miles to CSAH 86 and Hazelwood Ave.; then south on Hazelwood Ave. (CSAH 46) 4.6 miles to the south edge of the service area.

Western Boundary

The boundary between District One and District Two starts on the north edge of Dakota Electric’s service area at Hwy. 13 (Old Sibley Memorial Hwy.) and 12th Ave.; then south on 12th Ave. 0.2 of a mile to Parkwood Dr.; then south on Parkwood Dr. 0.6 of a mile to Burnsville Pkwy.; then east on Burnsville Pkwy. 0.7 of a mile to county state aid highway (CSAH) 11; then south on CSAH 11 1.1 miles to Hwy. 35E; then southwest on Hwy. 35E 0.6 of a mile to CSAH 11 and CSAH 38 (McAndrews Rd.); then south on CSAH 11 1.1 miles to CSAH 42 and LacLavon Dr.; then south on LacLavon Dr. 1.5 miles to CSAH 46 (162nd St. W.); then west on CSAH 46 0.4 of a mile to Ipava Ave.; then south on Ipava Ave. 0.3 of a mile to 165th St. W.; then east on 165th St. 1.3 miles to Highview Ave.; then south on Highview Ave. 1.4 miles to CSAH 9 (Dodd Blvd.); then south on Dodd Blvd. 10 miles to CSAH 46 (Pillsbury Ave.); then south on CSAH 46 (Pillsbury Ave.) 1.5 miles to CSAH 86 and Hazelwood Ave.; then south on Hazelwood Ave. (CSAH 46) 4.6 miles to the south edge of the service area.

Eastern Boundary

The boundary between District 2 and 3 starts on the north edge of Dakota Electric’s service area at Hwy. 13 and Rahn Rd.; then follows Rahn Rd. south 1.5 miles to Shale Ln.; then west on Shale Ln. 0.5 of a mile to Nichols Rd.; then south on Nichols Rd. 1.3 miles to Hwy. 35E and Hwy. 77 exchange; then south on Hwy. 77 1.4 miles to CSAH 38 (McAndrews Rd.); then east on CSAH 38 (McAndrews Rd.) 0.5 of a mile to Galaxie Ave.; then south on Galaxie Ave. 2.5 miles to 157th St. W.; then east on 157th St. W. 0.6 of a mile to Flagstaff Ave.; then south on Flagstaff Ave. 1.3 miles to 170th St. W.; then east on 170th St. 1 mile to CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Rd.); then south on CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Rd.) 2.5 miles to Co. Rd. 64 (195th St. W.); then west on Co. Rd. 64 (195th St. W.) 1 mile to Flagstaff Ave.; then south on Flagstaff Ave. 3 miles to 225th St. W.; then west on 225th St. W. 1 mile to CSAH 23 (Cedar Ave.); then south on CSAH 23 (Cedar Ave.) 2.5 miles to Galaxie Ave.; then south on Galaxie Ave. 3.3 miles to CSAH 86 (280th St. W.); then east on CSAH 86 0.3 of a mile to Foliage Ave.; then south on Foliage Ave. 3 miles to the south edge of the service area.

Western Boundary

The boundary between District 2 and 3 starts on the north edge of Dakota Electric’s service area at Hwy. 13 and Rahn Rd.; then follows Rahn Rd. south 1.5 miles to Shale Ln.; then west on Shale Ln. 0.5 of a mile to Nichols Rd.; then south on Nichols Rd. 1.3 miles to Hwy. 35E and Hwy. 77 exchange; then south on Hwy. 77 1.4 miles to CSAH 38 (McAndrews Rd.); then east on CSAH 38 (McAndrews Rd.) 0.5 of a mile to Galaxie Ave.; then south on Galaxie Ave. 2.5 miles to 157th St. W.; then east on 157th St. W. 0.6 of a mile to Flagstaff Ave.; then south on Flagstaff Ave. 1.3 miles to 170th St. W.; then east on 170th St. 1 mile to CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Rd.); then south on CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Rd.) 2.5 miles to Co. Rd. 64 (195th St. W.); then west on Co. Rd. 64 (195th St. W.) 1 mile to Flagstaff Ave.; then south on Flagstaff Ave. 3 miles to 225th St. W.; then west on 225th St. W. 1 mile to CSAH 23 (Cedar Ave.); then south on CSAH 23 (Cedar Ave.) 2.5 miles to Galaxie Ave.; then south on Galaxie Ave. 3.3 miles to CSAH 86 (280th St. W.); then east on CSAH 86 0.3 of a mile to Foliage Ave.; then south on Foliage Ave. 3 miles to the south edge of the service area.

Eastern Boundary

The boundary between District 3 and 4 starts on the north edge of Dakota Electric’s service area at CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Rd.) and CSAH 26 (Lone Oak Rd.); then west on Lone Oak Rd. 0.3 of a mile then south 0.3 mile; then east 0.3 mile to Pilot Knob Rd.; then south on Pilot Knob Rd. (CSAH 31) 0.9 of a mile to Hwy. 35E; then south on Hwy. 35E 2.3 miles to CSAH 30 (Diffley Rd.); then east on Diffley Rd. 0.3 of a mile to Johnny Cake Ridge Rd.; then south on Johnny Cake Ridge Rd. 1.3 miles to CSAH 32 (Cliff Rd.); then east on Cliff Rd. 1 mile to CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Rd.); then south on CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Rd.) 2 miles to CSAH 33 (Diamond Path W.); then south on CSAH 33 (Diamond Path W.) 3.3 miles to CSAH (160th St. W.); continue south on alignment with Diamond Path 1 mile to Co. Rd. 58 (170th St. W.); then east on 170th St. W. 2 miles to Biscayne Ave.; then south on Biscayne Ave. 3.2 miles to CSAH 66 (Vermillion River Trl.); then east on CSAH 66 3.2 miles to Co. Rd. 79 (Blaine Ave.); then south on Co. Rd. 79 (Blaine Ave.) 8 miles to CSAH 86 (280th St. W.); then west on CSAH 86 (280th St. W.) 4 miles to Hwy. 3; then south on Hwy. 3 3.5 miles to south edge of Dakota Electric’s service area.

Western Boundary

The boundary between District 3 and 4 starts on the north edge of Dakota Electric’s service area at CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Rd.) and CSAH 26 (Lone Oak Rd.); then west on Lone Oak Rd. 0.3 of a mile then south 0.3 mile; then east 0.3 mile to Pilot Knob Rd.; then south on Pilot Knob Rd. (CSAH 31) 0.9 of a mile to Hwy. 35E; then south on Hwy. 35E 2.3 miles to CSAH 30 (Diffley Rd.); then east on Diffley Rd. 0.3 of a mile to Johnny Cake Ridge Rd.; then south on Johnny Cake Ridge Rd. 1.3 miles to CSAH 32 (Cliff Rd.); then east on Cliff Rd. 1 mile to CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Rd.); then south on CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Rd.) 2 miles to CSAH 33 (Diamond Path W.); then south on CSAH 33 (Diamond Path W.) 3.3 miles to CSAH (160th St. W.); continue south on alignment with Diamond Path 1 mile to Co. Rd. 58 (170th St. W.); then east on 170th St. W. 2 miles to Biscayne Ave.; then south on Biscayne Ave. 3.2 miles to CSAH 66 (Vermillion River Trl.); then east on CSAH 66 3.2 miles to Co. Rd. 79 (Blaine Ave.); then south on Co. Rd. 79 (Blaine Ave.) 8 miles to CSAH 86 (280th St. W.); then west on CSAH 86 (280th St. W.) 4 miles to Hwy. 3; then south on Hwy. 3 3.5 miles to south edge of Dakota Electric’s service area.

Eastern Boundary

District Four’s eastern border aligns with the eastern edge of the service territory.

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Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

Dakota Electric’s articles of incorporation and bylaws provide the framework for governing and conducting business at Dakota Electric with information on membership, board of director elections, capital credits and more.
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