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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 AHmgvQpFep/R381RfIoSG7woze2DDgEC/8nQCm9l4yokMo2/c7oyENuTWVh10Um9
 mqYVCnmVUB6Y+I6pHSZihw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000066756-03-000112.txt : 20030805
<SEC-HEADER>0000066756-03-000112.hdr.sgml : 20030805
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030805161144
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000066756-03-000112
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030801
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030805

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			JOHNSON PETER J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001194748

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-03548
		FILM NUMBER:		03823945

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ALLETE INC
		STREET 2:		30 WEST SUPERIOR STREET
		CITY:			DULUTH
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55802

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ALLETE INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000066756
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ELECTRIC & OTHER SERVICES COMBINED [4931]
		IRS NUMBER:				410418150
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MN
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		30 W SUPERIOR ST
		CITY:			DULUTH
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55802-2093
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2182795000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		30 W SUPERIOR STREET
		CITY:			DULUTH
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55802-2093

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ALLETE
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20000901

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MINNESOTA POWER INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19980603

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MINNESOTA POWER & LIGHT CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-01</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000066756</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ALLETE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ALE</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001194748</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>JOHNSON PETER J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>302 SOUTH HOOVER ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>PO BOX 1007</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>VIRGINIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55792</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3128.65</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>36860.521</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOw
nership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>616.82</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>26.75</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>36243.7</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><trans
actionDate><value>2003-07-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3128.65</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Spouse</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormTyp
e><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>224.3</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>26.75</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>224.3</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Spouse as Custodian for Minor Grandchildren</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes shares acquired in exempt transactions under the dividend reinvestment feature of ALLETE's stock purchase and dividend reinvestment plan.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The reporting person no longer has a reportable beneficial interest in 6,
257 shares of ALLETE common stock previously owned by the reporting person's spouse in joint tenancy and included in the reporting person's prior ownership reports.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Philip R. Halverson for Peter J. Johnson</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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