EXHIBIT 31(a)


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


     I, David G. Gartzke, Chairman,  President and  Chief Executive  Officer  of
ALLETE, Inc. (ALLETE), certify that:

1.   I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period
     ended September 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  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 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:  November 12, 2003         David G. Gartzke
                                 -----------------------------------------------

                                 David G. Gartzke
                                 Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer


                      ALLETE Third Quarter 2003 Form 10-Q