About
I'm a Wright-Hennepin member in District 5 (Annandale), and I'm running for the board in 2026.
Here's my honest take: most people don't think about co-op board seats because they have no reason to. That's how it should be. When things are working, you focus on your family, your job, your farm, your shop, your to-do list.
But the co-op board still matters because the board is where the big decisions land. Spending decisions. Planning decisions. The stuff that turns into rates, month after month.
I'm running because I care about what electricity costs for our friends, neighbors, and businesses in our area. This isn't an abstract issue. It's a real line on a real bill that everyone pays.
I also think District 5 deserves a choice. Our current director has served since 1987. I respect anyone willing to serve that long. I just believe it's healthy to have new people willing to step up and do the work.
Directors meet monthly and oversee major financial and policy decisions. If I'm elected, I'm going to show up, ask hard questions, and keep coming back to the same two priorities: predictable bills and reliable service.
What I'd focus on as a director
Bills that stay steady
When the co-op spends money or signs up for long-term commitments, the first question should be simple: how does this affect what members pay?
Reliability that holds up in Minnesota winters
The lights need to stay on. Wright-Hennepin has a strong reputation here. I want to protect that and keep reliability and safety at the top.
Fairness when growth drives new costs
If big new loads drive big new infrastructure, the costs need to be handled fairly. I don't want existing residential members quietly picking up the tab.
A board that keeps a tight grip on spending
It's a cooperative. It's member money. The board should act like it.
Bio
I'm Spencer Albers, a Wright-Hennepin member in District 5 (Annandale). Minnesota has been home for the last 10 years, and I live south of Annandale with my husband, Paul.
I grew up in a rural Wisconsin town of about 600 people, which shaped how I think about small communities and the basics people count on. Reliable electricity and predictable costs are not theoretical out here. They affect what families can afford and how local businesses operate.
Professionally, my background is in customer experience, operations, and the systems behind billing and service. I currently work at US Solar in customer operations and billing, focused on technology and operations that help families save money. I previously worked at IsoRay on prostate cancer therapies, and earlier in my career I worked at Periscope and as an independent contractor supporting a mix of large organizations, small businesses, and nonprofits.
I've considered running for a few years. With the seat up for election now, I decided to run because I want District 5 to have a new voice focused on what electricity costs and how board decisions land on real people.
How to vote (District 5)
Ballots are mailed by Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) to eligible District 5 members.
You can vote 3 ways:
- Mail in your ballot packet
- Vote online at
www.directvote.net/WHCEAwith your Member Number and Election Passcode - Vote in person at Wright-Hennepin's Annual Meeting
Important: one vote per household, first ballot received is counted, and voting closes the day of the Annual Meeting.
2026 Annual Meeting: Thursday, April 16, 2026 · Wright-Hennepin Headquarters · Rockford, MN
Independence
I work for US Solar in customer operations and billing.
I'm running for this seat as an individual member, not on behalf of any company.
Wright-Hennepin has eligibility and conflict rules for director candidates as part of the nomination process. If I'm elected, I'll follow those rules, disclose potential conflicts, and recuse myself when I should.
Disclaimer: This is a candidate website and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association. For official election instructions, rely on your ballot packet and Wright-Hennepin's official voting resources.