Minneapolis City Council Conventions: How Relevant Are They?

99% of Residents Will Be Riding Bikes or Gardening on Saturday

Photo by Unsplash

State of the Race

This Saturday, May 31, the DFL holds conventions for Wards 9, 10, and 11. Two are competitive: Wards 10 and 11. Ward 6 follows on June 1, where incumbent Jamal Osman is expected to win the endorsement, despite his close ties to multiple fraud scandals.

In Ward 9, Marques Jones has exited the race. The incumbent, Jason Chavez, will receive the DFL endorsement by default. His opponent, Dan Orban, is not seeking it. You can hear our interview with Dan [here].

I’ll be attending the Ward 10 convention and will share live updates for paid subscribers, along with a few insights from Ward 11.

Numbers to Watch

To understand the influence of these conventions, consider this: in Ward 12, Aurin Chowdhury secured the DFL endorsement with just 248 votes—less than 1% of registered voters in the ward. The endorsement aids with fundraising, data, and visibility, but it's a stretch to call it a sign of broad support. Endorsed candidates do typically go on to win the general election, but as we saw in Ward 8 in 2023, there are exceptions.

An endorsement signals alignment with the DFL platform, but tells us little about how a candidate would vote on specific ordinances, budgets, or support for the police chief and mayor. It also doesn’t clarify whether they’ll ease the burdens on local businesses or add to them. For that, voters need to dig deeper—hopefully with help from this newsletter.

In 2023, only 31.7% of registered voters cast ballots in the municipal election. With the mayor on the ballot this year, turnout may climb. If attendance at caucuses and conventions is a reliable signal, we may surpass the 54% mark reached in 2021. That would be a positive step, but the DFL process so far suggests democracy isn’t being served well. At this stage, roughly 1% of the city is shaping the outcomes. Charter reforms—particularly those that move Minneapolis closer to proportional representation—deserve serious consideration. You can hear my interview with Lee Drutman on this topic [here].

Brief Voting Guide for Delegates

We asked each candidate: Four years from now, what should voters be able to point to as evidence that you were an effective council member?

Ward 10

• Aisha Chughtai, the incumbent council vice president, emphasizes renters' rights, labor, and immigrant advocacy. She is endorsed by the DSA and Mpls for the Many. Critics argue she has neglected Uptown and failed to respond adequately to crime and homelessness in the ward.

In response to our question, she writes:

"For the last three years we’ve been working towards a Minneapolis where everyone has what they need to thrive. We invested in our communities and protected our most vulnerable neighbors. We’ve invested in the safety of our neighborhoods by addressing people’s fundamental needs and the delivery of community centered interventions. I want to continue our successes. At the end of the four year term it’s important to me that I have, in deep partnership with our community, built a Minneapolis that invests in us. That means Ward 10 residents have increased access to high quality services, affordable housing, multi-modal transportation, and safe jobs with wages to support themselves and their families."

• Lydia Millard, a second-generation African American and executive director of the Stevens Square Community Organization, stresses public safety, small business support, and constituent services. She is endorsed by All of Mpls and We Love Mpls. Opponents have tried to brand her as a Republican—a tactic applied to many of the more centrist candidates. Our interview with her is available [here].

In response to our question, she writes:

“Four years from now, voters will be able to point to a safe ward 10 with declining crime rates across the board, a revitalized Uptown with a thriving business community, and 40,000 residents that feel like they have a council member who cares and will answer their call no matter how small or big the issue is.”

Ward 11

• Mariam Demello, a lawyer in the St. Paul mayor’s office and Minneapolis Charter Commissioner, promises pragmatic solutions for law enforcement, infrastructure, and housing. Endorsed by Women Winning, you can hear our interview [here].

In response to our question, she writes:

“Visible improvements in everyday quality of life: more responsive city services, safer and smoother roads and sidewalks, and working streetlights. A consistent police presence that deters crime. Fewer encampments due to expanded shelter and housing access. Thriving storefronts in Uptown. George Floyd Square as vibrant as 48th and Chicago. Expanded housing for all income levels. And more decorum at City Hall."

• Jamison Whiting, a police reform attorney with the City of Minneapolis, emphasizes justice and dignity in public safety. He is endorsed by Attorney General Keith Ellison, Rep. Emma Greenman, and Commissioner Angela Conley. Critics say he lacks policy specifics. One union endorsement—LiUNA!—is notable, given its usual alignment with DSA candidates like Robin Wonsley and Jason Chavez. (Jamison did not respond to our question. In his defense, candidates were given less than a day.)

Photo by Kyle Head on Unsplash

The Next Stage

After this weekend, attention shifts to July 19–20, when endorsements for Mayor, Park Board, and Board of Estimate and Taxation may—or may not—occur.

For city council candidates, the race enters a broader phase. Until now, campaigns have focused on the small group of donors and delegates closely tracking the races—the proverbial 1%. Now, they must reach the other 99%, most of whom have only just started paying attention.

Note: We’re looking forward to our first happy hour for paid subscribers, Thursday, May 29, 4:30-6:30.