My name is Brian Kirkham, and I’m running for Anoka County Commissioner. I’m married to my wife, Lindsey, and we have three boys, ages 14, 12, and 8. I’ve worked in manufacturing for 26 years, started two businesses, and still own one today. I grew up in Ham Lake, where I currently live, and have lived in this county district for all but two years of my life. I also lived in Bethel for about 11 years, serving approximately nine years on the Bethel Fire Department and being elected twice to the Bethel City Council. In 2016, my wife and I moved back to Ham Lake, where we both grew up. I was elected to the Ham Lake City Council in 2018, ran for mayor in 2022, and currently serve as mayor of Ham Lake.

The main reason I’m running for commissioner is property taxes. Families can’t continue shouldering higher property tax bills, and we need a strong voice at the county level willing to say no to unnecessary increases. As an elected official in Bethel, I was part of six budgets that did not raise the levy by a single penny—a record few cities can claim. In Ham Lake, we have maintained one of the lowest tax rates in the state while remaining one of Minnesota’s most financially well-run cities. That is the mindset, discipline, and energy I want to bring to county government.

I never planned to run for county commissioner, but my path has brought me here. Along the way, I have worked to earn the trust of residents in Bethel and Ham Lake, and now I ask the residents of Anoka County District 2 for their support. This November, vote Brian Kirkham for County Commissioner.