Exhibit 31(b)


     RULE 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) CERTIFICATION BY THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
            PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002



     I, James K. Vizanko, Vice President,  Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
of ALLETE, Inc. (ALLETE), certify that:


1.   I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period
     ended June 30, 2003 of ALLETE;

2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of
     a material  fact or omit to state a  material  fact  necessary  to make the
     statements made, in light of the circumstances  under which such statements
     were made,  not  misleading  with  respect  to the  period  covered by this
     report;

3.   Based on  my  knowledge, the  financial  statements,  and  other  financial
     information  included  in  this  report,  fairly  present  in all  material
     respects the financial  condition,  results of operations and cash flows of
     the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.   The registrant's other certifying  officer(s) and  I  are  responsible  for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

     a.  Designed  such  disclosure  controls  and  procedures,  or  caused such
         disclosure   controls  and   procedures   to  be  designed   under  our
         supervision,  to  ensure  that  material  information  relating  to the
         registrant,  including its consolidated subsidiaries,  is made known to
         us by others within those entities,  particularly  during the period in
         which this report is being prepared;

     b.  Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and
         procedures  and  presented  in this  report our  conclusions  about the
         effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures,  as of the end
         of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

     c.  Disclosed in  this report  any  change  in  the  registrant's  internal
         control over financial  reporting that occurred during the registrant's
         most  recent  fiscal  quarter  that  has  materially  affected,  or  is
         reasonably  likely to  materially  affect,  the  registrant's  internal
         control over financial reporting; and

5.   The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on
     our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to
     the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board
     of directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

     a.  All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the  design  or
         operation  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  which are
         reasonably  likely to  adversely  affect  the  registrant's  ability to
         record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

     b.  Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves  management or  other
         employees  who have a  significant  role in the  registrant's  internal
         control over financial reporting.



Date:   August 8, 2003           James K. Vizanko
                                 -----------------------------------------------

                                 James K. Vizanko
                                 Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and
                                 Treasurer



                      ALLETE Second Quarter 2003 Form 10-Q