March 24, 2025 Story by: Editor
Minneapolis voters will head to the polls on November 4, 2025, to elect a mayor and fill all 13 City Council seats. The city has used ranked-choice voting since 2009, eliminating the need for a primary election. If multiple candidates run for a position, voters can rank their first, second, and third choices. This ensures that if a voter’s top choice does not win, their vote can still count toward another candidate.
Key dates for the election include the official candidate filing period from July 29 to August 12. Early voting runs from September 19 to November 3, while early voter registration must be completed by October 14. The deadline to request a mailed ballot is October 28.
As more candidates enter the race, updates will be provided. Those interested in running can reach out to deena.winter@startribune.com and dave.orrick@startribune.com. Below is a list of candidates who have announced their campaigns so far, arranged alphabetically by last name.
Mayor
DeWayne Davis, a lead minister at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, previously worked as a congressional staffer for 15 years and served as director of federal relations for Sallie Mae Inc. In 2023, he became the first Black gay person elected as chaplain of the Minnesota Senate. He also co-chaired Mayor Jacob Frey’s Minneapolis Community Safety Work Group, which recommended public safety reforms. He and his husband, Kareem Murphy, reside in north Minneapolis.
Howard Dotson is a health care chaplain and bereavement counselor. He has spent 12 years as an Urban Presbyterian pastor, worked as a police chaplain in four departments, and has served as a street chaplain in Minneapolis for the past two years.
Omar Fateh made history as the first Somali American to serve in the Minnesota Senate and is believed to be the first in the nation. He is also one of the few self-identified democratic socialists in the Legislature. He resides in south Minneapolis with his spouse.
Incumbent Jacob Frey is seeking a third term, having first been elected in 2017 after serving as a council member for Ward 3. Before entering politics, Frey worked as an employment and civil rights attorney. He is married to Sarah Clark, and they have a four-year-old daughter, Frida, with a second daughter expected in July.
Jazz Hampton co-founded the company TurnSignl following George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. The app connects drivers with legal assistance during traffic stops and accidents. He describes himself as a husband, father of three, attorney, business owner, and community advocate.
Emily Koski has represented Ward 11 since her election in 2021. She campaigned alongside Frey and has a family legacy in Minneapolis politics, as her late father, Al Hofstede, served as mayor in the 1970s. Before politics, she worked for Target and later ran a small business for over a decade. She is married to Mike and has two children, Croix and Iris.
Brenda Short grew up in a small Iowa town, working in agriculture before moving to the Twin Cities, where she and her three children faced homelessness. After securing temporary shelter and working various jobs, she became a homeowner.
City Council Ward 1
Ward 1 covers northeast Minneapolis, including Audubon Park, Bottineau, Columbia Park, Como, Holland, Logan Park, Marshall Terrace, Mid-City Industrial, Northeast Park, Waite Park, and Windom Park.
Incumbent Elliott Payne, elected in 2021, currently serves as council president. He previously worked in City Hall’s Office of Performance and Innovation, where he advocated for expanding the city’s mental health response and creating a public safety ambassador program.
City Council Ward 2
Ward 2 includes Cedar Riverside, Como, Marcy Holmes, Prospect Park – East River Road, Seward, and the University of Minnesota area.
Michael Baskins ran as a write-in candidate in 2023, securing about 33% of the vote. He has criticized policies such as extreme rent control, bans on clearing homeless encampments with open drug use, and taxpayer-funded sidewalk plowing.
Incumbent Robin Wonsley was elected in 2021 as the first Black democratic socialist council member in Minneapolis. She has been involved in movements advocating for a $15 minimum wage and has served on the board of the Restorative Justice Community Action Network.
City Council Ward 3
Ward 3 spans downtown and extends north across the Mississippi River. It includes Beltrami, Como, Downtown East, Downtown West, Marcy Holmes, Nicollet Island – East Bank, North Loop, Sheridan, St. Anthony East, and St. Anthony West.
Incumbent Michael Rainville was elected in 2021 and previously worked in the hospitality industry before joining the Minneapolis Convention & Visitors Association.
Emilio César Rodríguez has been active in climate policy and immigrant rights advocacy through initiatives like Drivers’ Licenses for All and the North STAR Act.
Jacob Thomas has been involved in organizing efforts in Minnesota for over a decade. He worked for his local police department’s community safety program, served as a sexual assault victims advocate during his eight years in the U.S. Air Force, and was a volunteer firefighter.
City Council Ward 4
Ward 4 covers the northwest part of the city, with the Mississippi River forming its eastern boundary. It includes neighborhoods such as Camden Industrial Area, Cleveland, Folwell, Humboldt Industrial Area, Jordan, Lind-Bohanon, McKinley, Shingle Creek, Victory, Webber-Camden, and Willard-Hay.
Marvina Haynes became an advocate after her brother, Marvin Haynes, was wrongfully convicted of murder. She founded MN Wrongfully Convicted Judicial Reform to support affected families. She ran for the council in 2023.
Incumbent LaTrisha Vetaw worked at NorthPoint Health & Wellness, Inc. for 15 years, where she served as director of health policy and advocacy. Before being elected to the council in 2021, she was a member of the Minneapolis Park Board.
Source: The Minnesota Star Tribune
