Voter Guide: Minnesota’s Nov. 5, 2024 City Council Elections

On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, voters across the country will cast their ballots in both national and local elections. For many voters in Minnesota, this will be a chance to vote for their communities’ next city council members.

This voter guide will cover the city council elections to watch in some of Minnesota’s biggest cities and towns. 

Below, we’ll walk you through who’s on the ballot, how to get ready for election day, and which candidates are GoodPary.org Certified. Being GoodParty.org Certified means that a candidate has pledged to run an independent, people-powered, and anti-corruption campaign. These candidates are committed to serving their communities, not big donors or special interests.

What to Know About Minnesota’s City Council Elections on November 5, 2024

• All of the city council elections listed below are non-partisan. This means that candidates’ political affiliations will not appear beside their names on the ballot.

• Many Minnesota cities held primary elections for city council on August 13. For a full list of the cities that participated in the August primaries and for election results, visit the StarTribune's live election coverage.

• Not all cities in Minnesota will elect city council members on November 5. Some Minnesota cities hold city council elections in different election cycles. Similarly, not every seat on the city councils mentioned below will be up for election this year. 

• Some Minnesota cities will also elect mayors on November 5. For example, Blaine and St. Cloud both plan to hold mayoral elections on November 5, in addition to their elections for city council.

• Check your local government’s website for the latest updates. Candidate lists can be subject to change leading up to election day, so visit your city’s website for the most up-to-date sample ballots. For an overview of the state general election, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website.

A Guide to Minnesota’s City Council Elections on November 5, 2024

Learn who’s on the ballot for city council in key cities throughout Minnesota.

Rochester City Council

In Rochester, Minnesota’s third-largest city, five GoodParty.org Certified candidates advanced from the August primary election and will appear on the November ballot for city council. This presents a unique opportunity for Rochester voters to cast their ballots for independent candidates who have pledged to serve their city with integrity.

All eligible, registered voters in Rochester can vote for at-large seats. Voters in three of Rochester’s six wards will also have the chance to vote for council members to represent their districts.

Not sure which ward of Rochester you live in? Find ward maps here.

Running for at-large city council seats:

• Shaun C. Palmer (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Randy Schubring (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

Running for city council in Ward 2:

• Nick Miller (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Tripp Welch

Running for city council in Ward 4:

• Andy Friederichs (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

Running for city council in Ward 6:

• Dan Doering

• Mark Schleusner

Brooklyn Park City Council

Located in Hennepin County, Brooklyn Park is represented by six city council members and a mayor. There are two city council members for each of Brooklyn Park’s three districts: the west district, central district, and east district.

GoodParty.org Certified candidates are on the ballot in each of these districts in 2024.

Running for city council in the west district:

• Daniel D. Goba (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Tony McGarvey

Running for city council in the central district:

• Shelle Page

• Teshite Wako (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

Running for city council in the east district:

• Boyd Morson

• Amanda Cheng Xiong (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

Woodbury City Council

The largest city in Washington County, Woodbury will elect two at-large city council members this year. Eight candidates are currently competing for the council’s two open seats:

Running for at-large city council seats:

• Murid Amini

• Timothy Brewington (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Michael Burke

• Dave Hoelzel

• Temmy Olasimbo

• Benjamin Sherrard

• Donna Stafford

• Kim Wilson

Blaine City Council

Blaine is electing both city council members and a mayor on November 5, 2024. Blaine has three city council wards. 

Not sure which city council ward you belong to? View an interactive map of Blaine’s three wards here.

Running for city council in Ward 1:

• Chris Ford

• Lori Saroya

Running for city council in Ward 2:

• Leslie Larson

• Ini Udomah

Running for city council in Ward 3:

• Amina Baha (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Chris Massoglia

St. Cloud City Council

The county seat of Stearns County, St. Cloud plans to elect both its mayor and city council members this November. Voters will cast their ballots for three at-large seats on the council.

St. Cloud held a primary election for city council on August 13. Out of the 16 candidates on the primary ballot, six are advancing to the general election in November. Four of the remaining candidates for city council are GoodParty.org Certified, giving St. Cloud voters the opportunity to elect people-powered, anti-corruption leaders to city hall.

Running for at-large city council seats:

• Scott Brodeen (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Tami Calhoun (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• George Hontos (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Hudda Ibrahim (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Mark Johnson

• Omar Abdullah Podi

Eagan City Council

Voters in Eagan have limited choices this year, as two city council seats are available and only two candidates are currently on the ballot to fill them.

Running for city council:

• Cyndee Fields

• Mike Supina

Coon Rapids City Council

The city of Coon Rapids plans to elect four city council members this year. Coon Rapids has five city council wards. Voters can view this map of the city’s wards to find which ward they belong to.

Two of the four city council races in Coon Rapids are currently uncontested.

Running for an at-large city council seat:

• Pat Carlson

Running for city council in Ward 1:

• Brad Greskowiak

Running for city council in Ward 2:

• Peter Butler (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Don Willadsen (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

Running for city council in Ward 4:

• Christopher Geisler

• Blake Miskowiec (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

Eden Prairie City Council

In Eden Prairie, two city council seats are up for election. P.G. Narayanan and Lisa Toomey are incumbents running for reelection.

Running for city council:

• Mihajilo Babovic

• P.G. Narayanan

• Lisa Toomey (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Andrew J. Toperzer

Apple Valley City Council

Located in Dakota County, Apple Valley will elect two city council members this November.

Running for city council:

• Pat Benner

• Ruth Grendahl

• Lisa Hiebert

• Jon H. Rechtzigel

Edina City Council

A suburb of Minneapolis, Edina will elect two candidates for city council this year.

Running for city council:

• Ryan Daye (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Carolyn Jackson

• James Pierce

Cottage Grove City Council

Cottage Grove is a growing suburb located south of St. Paul. The city plans to elect two city council members this November, in addition to holding a special election to reelect councilmember Monique Garza.

Of the three candidates competing in the general election, both Tony Khambata and Justin Olsen are incumbent council members.

Running for city council in the general election:

• David Clausen

• Tony Khambata (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Justin Olsen

Running for city council in a special election:

• Monique Garza (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

Maplewood City Council

Located in Ramsey County, Maplewood plans to elect two at-large city council members this fall. Four candidates advanced from the August primary election.

Running for city council:

• Rebecca Cave

• Stephen Fitze

• Alex Kline

• Nikki Villavicencio

Richfield City Council

Richfield’s city council is made up of the mayor, one at-large council member, and three district representatives. All three wards in Richfield are electing city council members this year.

So far, the only incumbent running for reelection is Sean Hayford Oleary, who represents Ward 2.

Not sure which city council ward you live in? Check out this interactive map of Richfield to find your ward and voting precinct.

Running for city council in Ward 1:

• Walter Burk

• Brett Stursa

Running for city council in Ward 2:

• Sean Hayford Oleary

Running for city council in Ward 3:

• Emily Antin

• Rori Coleman-Woods

Roseville City Council

The Twin Cities suburb of Roseville will elect two city council members this fall. Three GoodParty.org Certified candidates appeared on the ballot in the August 13 primary election, but only one will advance to the general election in November.

The remaining GoodParty.org Certified candidate, Julie Strahan, placed first in the primary election, earning 42.02% of the vote in a six-way race.

Running for city council:

• Matt Bauer

• Joshua Kiley

• Kevin Nicholson

• Julie Strahan (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

Andover City Council

Located in Anoka County, the city of Andover plans to elect two city council members in November. 

Running for city council:

• Greg S. Mueller

• Scott Schue (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Jonathan Shafto (GoodParty.org Certified candidate)

• Jeff Sims

Get Involved in Minnesota’s Local Elections

Looking to get ready for Minnesota’s upcoming elections on November 5, 2024? Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Check your voter registration. Not sure if you can vote in the general election? Visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website to check your voter registration status, register to vote, or update your registration.

• Visit your local government’s website. Visit your city’s website for the latest and most accurate information about who’s on your ballot for city council, where to find your polling location, and more.

• Find ways to volunteer. You can find volunteer opportunities by visiting candidates’ campaign websites, or by booking an info session with GoodParty.org. We’ll get you connected with opportunities to support GoodParty.org Certified candidates who are running for office near you.

Are you a candidate for city council in Minnesota, or do you know someone who is? Learn how you can become a GoodParty.org Certified candidate and get access to free campaign tools and resources. Book a meeting with our team to learn more.

Photo of Rochester, Minnesota by Cody Otto on Unsplash