Minneapolis City Council President Andrea Jenkins won a narrow victory in her reelection bid after all ranked choice votes were tabulated Wednesday.
Jenkins, who trailed in the first-choice votes, bested DFL-endorsed challenger Soren Stevenson in Ward 8, winning the final tally by just 38 votes. In Ward 7, environmental advocate Katie Cashman bested realtor Scott Graham to take over for Council Member Lisa Goodman, who is retiring.
“Thank you Ward 8 voters. I’m ready to get back to working for you and our great city,” Jenkins posted to social media Wednesday.
Incumbent Jamal Osman, who was leading by a sizable margin Tuesday night, officially won a three-way race in Ward 6 after all votes were tabulated.
The results appear to give a slight edge to a more left-leaning, progressive council for the next two years. The 13-seat council will have five members, including Jenkins, who are endorsed by All for Minneapolis, a political action committee (PAC) aligned with Mayor Jacob Frey. Four council members, including Cashman, are endorsed by the progressive PAC Minneapolis for the Many.
With two leftwing incumbents, Robin Wonsley in Ward 2 and Jason Chavez in Ward 9, comfortably reelected Tuesday, the council appears likely to lean more progressive, but without a veto-proof majority.
Jenkins spoke Tuesday night to a crowd of supporters, including Mayor Frey, gathered at The Creekside Supper Club in south Minneapolis.
“This campaign, this election night, is really really enormously close,” she said.
Jenkins received 43 percent of the first-choice votes and about 39 percent of the second-choice votes. Stevenson received about 45 percent of the first-choice votes and about 27 percent of the second-choice votes. The final margin was extremely close, with a half a percentage point win for Jenkins giving a rare comeback win in the ranked choice system.
Newcomer Aurin Chowdhury won the open seat in Ward 12 with about 54 percent of the first-choice votes, beating out challengers Luther Ranheim and Nancy Ford. Chowdhury, 26, was endorsed by the DFL and the Democratic Socialists of America.
“We’ve been running with a lot of positivity and care for everyday community members and residents in Ward 12, and really making their voices heard,” Chowdhury said at an election party Tuesday night. “So, I feel really good. I feel like we did everything possible to get our message out there.”
With Jenkins winning reelection and Chowdhury’s victory in Ward 12, Minneapolis will have 10 council members of color, the most in history.
Ten incumbents won reelection Tuesday night, most of them leading by large margins in the first-choice votes.
Elliott Payne won handily in Ward 1. Robin Wonsley was unopposed in Ward 2. Michael Rainville received nearly 70 percent of the vote in Ward 3, beating challenger Marcus Mills. LaTrisha Vetaw beat out three challengers in Ward 4 with 69 percent of the vote. Jeremiah Ellison defeated Victor Martinez for the second time in two years to win Ward 5.
In Ward 9, Council Member Jason Chavez dominated challenger Daniel Orban with nearly 80 percent of the vote. Incumbent Aisha Chughtai cruised to reelection with 61 percent of the first-choice votes in a crowded Ward 10 field. Emily Koski won a whopping 88 percent of the vote in Ward 11. In Ward 13, Council Vice President Linea Palmisano handily bested challenger Kate Mortenson.
Here are the live election results of the Minneapolis City Council race.
