Erik Sahlin for District One
“from the Big Woods
to a better Rice County”
Rice County Commissioner
Let’s make Rice County even better.
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District One is a special part of Rice County. As your neighbor here, it would be an honor to serve as your voice—a voice for our District One neighborhood—in county government.
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At the heart of District One, we have a Minnesota treasure: three vital north-south bands of waterways and forested lands from the original Big Woods. The Cannon River Wilderness. Seven-Mile Woods. The Big Woods Corridor. And they’re not just conservation lands. We live in these places. We work, we farm, we play, we hunt, and we worship here. We also need to face tough challenges here—like dealing with the Rice County landfill as it runs out of capacity.
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There’s a lot we could be doing better in Rice County government. Neighbors here in District One already have the ideas, experience, and common sense we need to look to the future and be clear about what we value. For example, this is where neighbors have led the charge to keep the farming lands and forested lands of our Big Woods region from getting chopped up by outside developers.
What we need is a more responsive county government. How do we welcome healthy growth and maintain the small-town feel of living here? How do we get ready for new needs in transportation, affordable housing, public services—to make Rice County even better? We need a county government that can keep up with the energy of District One.
About Erik
I grew up along our Big Woods Corridor, right here in District One. I lived with my parents and brother on the Nerstrand farm originally homesteaded by Civil War veteran Hans Rinde. I’m the son of a St. Olaf flute teacher who performed in the Rochester Orchestra and subbed with the Minnesota Orchestra. She performs in the summers with the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra. I’m also the son of the Salco Toys woodworker who made toys for kids with developmental disabilities and later was controller for a homebuilding business. He currently works to care for the historic Valley Grove Churches and surrounding lands. School for me was Nerstrand Elementary, then Faribault Junior High School, and finally Faribault Senior High School.
Today, I’m the dad of two teens in the Northfield public schools. I’ve worked as a nonprofit manager and as a teacher, and now I run operations for a small business I own with my partner, Alyssa. After graduating from Faribault Senior High School, I pursued a career in foreign service, studying East Asia at Georgetown, Stanford, and the University of California. But while living and working outside of Minnesota, I kept coming back to Rice County for what mattered—spending time with family, seeing old friends, even getting married at Valley Grove Church. It’s always been clear to me that Rice County is the right place for me to live and raise my own kids.
Let’s get to work
As your new District One commissioner, you’ll find that I’m someone you can count on to show up and work hard. When you have questions or concerns, or when you want to get more involved, you’ll find me available to listen, talk, and work with you.
Elect Erik on Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Register to vote or update your registration here.
Find your November 5 polling place here.
Early voting starts Friday, September 20, 2024. Request an absentee ballot here.
Donate to Erik Sahlin for District One
Your donation will help us reach more of our District One neighbors. Any amount will make a difference (up to the individual limit of $600). Please write your check to “Erik Sahlin for District One” and mail to the address below. Please also include your email address or phone number, so that I can confirm your donation.
Erik Sahlin for District One
PO Box 6
Nerstrand, MN 55053
All donations will be deposited directly into the Erik Sahlin for District One campaign account at Frandsen Bank and Trust in Dundas.
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