Minneapolis DFL Party officials admitted Sunday that they failed to count all valid delegate votes at the July convention where state Sen. Omar Fateh was endorsed for mayor.

Why it matters: The controversy has revived long-running debates about how the DFL awards the most sought-after endorsement in Minneapolis politics.

Catch up quick: A state DFL Party committee is weighing incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey's formal challenge to the endorsement.

• Problems with the July 21 convention's electronic voting system resulted in 176 delegates' votes being excluded from the official tally on the first endorsement ballot, party officials said in response to Frey's challenge.
• The mix-up partially affected the outcome: Candidate DeWayne Davis "would not have been dropped from consideration on the second ballot," convention organizers also conceded — which might've helped Frey's attempts to block Fateh's endorsement.

Reality check: The disputed ballot didn't decide the winner. Fateh won on a show-of-hands-style vote only after Frey's campaign urged all their delegates to leave the convention.

• "Frey didn't have the numbers that day to win," Fateh's campaign told Axios, echoing the Minneapolis DFL's argument that Frey couldn't prove the outcome would've been different.

The big picture: If Fateh's endorsement is revoked, the party risks upsetting progressives who had cheered the democratic socialist's victory — and could "prove to skeptics that we are a party in disarray," six Minneapolis state legislators warned in a letter to DFL leaders.

Between the lines: In Minneapolis, the party's endorsement can be pivotal.

• In 2023, eight of the nine City Council members the DFL endorsed went on to win their races.

How it works: The Minneapolis DFL endorses city candidates through a lengthy caucus process.

• Party officials say it's more democratic: Any resident willing to put in the time attending DFL conventions can affect the outcome.

Friction point: Critics say the process favors insiders — and shuts out anyone with work or child care responsibilities on evenings or weekends.

• "Most people would call themselves DFLers in Minneapolis … but fewer than 1% of the population can actually participate," former Minneapolis DFL vice chair Mike Norton, who resigned over the "undemocratic" endorsement process, told Axios.

Yes, but: Norton says Frey lost because he lacked support, not because of unfair rules.

What's next

One of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport's busiest runways has again closed for reconstruction, bringing a rare noise reprieve to several Twin Cities neighborhoods during prime windows-open season.

State of play: The 12R-30L runway closed yesterday and won't re-open until Sept. 26. It's the second phase of the project, which closed the runway in the spring for six weeks.

Zoom in: This means quiet skies for those living in Richfield and the Diamond Lake, Tangletown, Lynnhurst and Linden Hills neighborhoods, plus St. Louis Park and Hopkins.

• It also means a hush for parts of Eagan and Mendota Heights on the other side of the runway.

Yes, but: All that air traffic is going to mean busier skies for those living under other flight paths.

🌧️ Weekend rains soaked southern Minnesota's Waseca County with 12.5 inches, leading to flooding and widespread road closures. (KARE 11)

📜 A Ramsey County judge yesterday struck down a relatively new state gun law banning "binary triggers," ruling that its inclusion in a sweeping 1,400-page tax bill that passed in the final minutes of the 2024 session violated the Minnesota Constitution's single-subject rule. (Minnesota Reformer)

• While the Walz administration plans to appeal the decision, the ruling could open the door to more lawsuits seeking to throw out other new laws enacted via that single bill.

🗳️ DFL state Rep. Cedrick Frazier formally announced his plans to run for Hennepin County Attorney next year. (Star Tribune)

Taco John's now calls St. Louis Park its headquarters after leaving its longtime home in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Why it matters: "I can now eat more potato olés under the guise of 'buying local'?" one Reddit user wrote, reacting to a news story from Wyoming Tribune Eagle confirming the move.

Catch up quick: The fast-food taco chain already had a presence in the Twin Cities, opening a franchise support center in one of the second-level office spaces in The Shops at West End in 2020.

• As of 2022, the St. Louis Park office had just 30 employees supporting operations, supply chain, marketing and technology, but was gradually moving employees here, according to the Tribune Eagle story.
• Taco John's could not be reached for comment.

Between the lines: It's easy to see why CEO Heather Neary, hired in 2024, moved the company to the Twin Cities.

• Minnesota has the highest concentration of Taco John's and nearly half of its 350 restaurants are within a four-hour drive, according to a Star Tribune story from 2022.
• Neary is also pushing to expand into new markets, and her team should have an easier time traveling to other cities. MSP Airport has nearly 170 direct flights, while Cheyenne Regional Airport has one, to Denver.

Plus, coming to the Twin Cities gives the company access to talent with experience in restaurant franchising. The metro is home to Dairy Queen, Caribou Coffee and was the longtime HQ of Buffalo Wild Wings before it was sold to Arby's parent company.

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Summer swimming season at public pools and beaches is winding down.

State of the water: Lifeguards at Edina Aquatic Center and Minneapolis public beaches hung up their whistles over the weekend, though beaches remain open to the public.

• Other municipal splash pads and pools will close over the next two weeks, ahead of the post-Labor Day start of the school year.

What we're watching: Wednesday is the final day of fun at the Como Regional Park Pool in St. Paul and the Richfield Outdoor Pool.

• Outdoor pools in Anoka, St. Louis Park and West Saint Paul close on Aug. 24, and St. Paul's Highland Park Aquatic Center ends service Sept. 1.

Minneapolis wading pools lock up a day later, on Sept. 2.