Who's running for Minneapolis mayor and city council in 2025
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Minneapolis will hold elections on Nov. 4 to decide who controls all 13 city council seats — and whether to grant Mayor Jacob Frey a third term.
The big picture: Left-wing groups are hoping to build off a successful 2023 election that emboldened Frey's critics on the city council, giving them the votes to rewrite the budget and enact other priorities without the mayor's support.
- Frey has pitched himself and his council allies as practical moderates more interested in delivering on core services than ideologically driven "messaging" legislation.
How it works: Minneapolis elects officials by ranked-choice voting. That means there's no primary — and it matters who your second- or third-favorite candidate is. Here's how the city explains the process.
- City Council seats are also elected by ward. Look yours up.
What we're watching: The filing deadline is Aug. 12, so this list may change if new candidates jump into the race.
Mayor:
State of play: Frey is running for re-election.
Challengers:
Catch up quick: Emily Koski dropped out of the race on April 14.
Ward 1:
Neighborhoods: The Northeast ward includes Waite Park and Columbia Park to the north, down to Como on the south end.
State of play: Council Member Elliott Payne is running for re-election.
Challengers: Brian Strahan
Ward 2:
Neighborhoods: The University of Minnesota and surrounding areas, including most of Como, Prospect Park, Seward, West Bank/Cedar-Riverside.
State of play: Council Member Robin Wonsley is running for re-election.
Challengers:
Ward 3:
Neighborhoods: The downtown and Northeast ward includes Marcy-Holmes, Nicollet Island, St. Anthony, Beltrami and parts of the North Loop and Como.
State of play: Council Member Michael Rainville is running for re-election.
Challengers:
Ward 4:
Neighborhoods: The ward includes most of the North Side north of Lowry Avenue plus parts of Jordan and Willard-Hay.
State of play: Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw is running for re-election.
Challengers: Marvina Haynes
Ward 5:
Neighborhoods: North Side areas adjacent to West Broadway — including Jordan, Hawthorne, Willard Hay and Near-North — plus Harrison, Sumner-Glenwood and Near North, Hawthorne, and part of the North Loop.
State of play: Council Member Jeremiah Ellison is not running for re-election.
Candidates:
- Ethrophic Burnett
- Amber Frederick
- Jovan Northington
- Miles Wilson
- Maurice Ward
- Tinitha Pearll Warren
- Anndrea Young
Ward 6:
Neighborhoods: The downtown-adjacent ward includes Cedar Riverside, Elliot Park, Philips West, Seward, Stevens Square-Loring Heights, and Ventura Village.
State of play: Council Member Jamal Osman is running for re-election.
Challengers:
- Mohamoud Hassan
Ward 7:
Neighborhoods: The ward stretches from West Maka Ska into Downtown West, including Bryn-Mawr, Cedar-Isles-Dean, East Isles, Kenwood, Loring Park, Lowry Hill, and Stevens Square-Loring Heights.
State of play: Council Member Katie Cashman is running for re-election.
Challengers:
Ward 8:
Neighborhoods: The South Side ward straddling I-35 includes King Field, Lyndale, Central, Bryant, Bancroft, Regina, Field and part of Northrop.
State of play: Council Member Andrea Jenkins is not running for re-election.
Candidates:
- Josh Bassais
- Anthony Scott
- Soren Stevenson
- Fartun Weli
Ward 9:
Neighborhoods: The ward includes East and Midtown Phillips, Powderhorn Park, Longfellow, Corcoran and parts of Howe and Central.
State of play: Council Member Jason Chavez is running for re-election.
Challengers:
Ward 10:
Neighborhoods: East Bde Maka Ska, East Harriet, South Uptown, Whittier and the Wedge (Lowry Hill East).
State of play: Council Member Aisha Chughtai is running for re-election.
Challengers: Lydia Millard
Ward 11:
Neighborhoods: The South Minneapolis ward includes several Nokomis neighborhoods including Diamond Lake, Hale, Keewaydin, Page, Northrop and Wenonah plus Tangletown and Windom on the western edge.
State of play: Incumbent Council Member Emily Koski is not seeking re-election, even after dropping out of the mayoral race.
Challengers:
Ward 12:
Neighborhoods: Neighborhoods in the city's southeastern corner including Cooper, Ericsson, Hiawatha, Howe, Minnehaha, Morris Park, Standish and part of Keewaydin.
State of play: Council Member Aurin Chowdhury is running for re-election.
Challengers:
Ward 13:
Neighborhoods: Neighborhoods in the city's southwestern corner, including Armatage, East Harriet, Fulton, Kenny, Linden Hills and Lynnhurst.
State of play: Council Member Linea Palmisano is running for re-election.
Challengers: None so far.
Editor's note: This story will be updated with more candidates and context as the election progresses. Candidates can send announcements to [email protected].