Nov 11, 2023 - Politics & Policy

St. Paul, Minnesota elects first all-female council in city's history

Torey Van Oot

Five women stand together in front of flags — Anika Bowie, Saura Jost, Mitra Jalali, Hwa Jeong Kim, and Cheniqua Johnson filed for office together in August. Photo: Rick Brudage/Saura Jost for Council campaign

St. Paul's city council will be made up entirely of women for the first time in its history.

Driving the news: Anika Bowie (Ward 1) and Cheniqua Johnson (Ward 7) emerged as the winners on Friday in two pending races from Tuesday's municipal elections, finalizing the all-female lineup for Minnesota's capital city.

Catch up quick: Four out of seven council members, including council president Amy Brendmoen, decided not to seek another term this year, setting the stage for a political shake-up at city hall.

Zoom in: The next council will be younger, more diverse, and more progressive than the current one.

Six of the seven candidates elected Tuesday are women of color. All are under 40, per the Minnesota DFL Party. Two were also endorsed by the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.

What they're saying: The incoming council members issued a joint news release Friday evening marking the historic wins.

"We are uniquely poised to fulfill the needs of Saint Paul residents because we come from the very communities we aim to serve," said HwaJeong Kim, a Korean American non-profit executive director and former legislative aide who won election to an open seat.

Zoom out: A spokesperson for Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics told Axios that their researchers aren't aware of any other cities as large as St. Paul hitting this milestone.

What we're watching: Who will succeed Brendmoen as president.

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St. Paul, Minnesota elects first all-female council in city's history

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