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,  Senior Vice President and Chief  Financial  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, 2004 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 (the  registrant's  fourth fiscal  quarter in the
        case of an annual report) 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 4, 2004        James K. Vizanko
                               -------------------------------------------------
                               James K. Vizanko
                               Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

                      ALLETE Third Quarter 2004 Form 10-Q