Minneapolis residents soon decide who will represent them in mayoral and city council elections for the next four years. Election Day is next Tuesday, with early voting open until Monday.

The mayor’s seat is up for election, with incumbent Jacob Frey seeking a third term against a pool of challengers. Voters will also elect members of the City Council, the Park and Recreation Board and the Board of Estimate and Taxation.

Who is on the ballot? 

Fifteen candidates are running for mayor this year. Four have emerged as the leading contenders: Frey, Sen. Omar Fateh (DFL-Minneapolis), Jazz Hampton, and Rev. DeWayne Davis. The latter three have formed a coalition, asking voters to rank them as their three choices on the ballot. 

The ballot is ranked choice, meaning voters rank candidates in order of preference. All 13 city council member seats are also on the ballot, with one member for each ward and all six MPRB seats, including three at-large seats. The BET has two member seats on the ballot. 

The Minnesota chapter of the League of Women Voters is working to educate and engage voters.

“We don’t care who they vote for,” Judy Zaunbrecher, vice president of LWV Minnesota. “We just really want them to let their voice be heard.”

LWV MN Voter Services Co-Chair Marilyn Cantisano, along with Zaunbrecher, said local elections are just as important as federal ones because they have an everyday direct impact on city services and residents’ lives. 

Where to vote

This week, voters from across Minneapolis can head to the Minneapolis Elections and Voter Services building and vote early Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The center is open this weekend from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Monday, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On Election Day, Nov. 4, voting in Minneapolis is organized by wards, and centers are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The city of Minneapolis published a voters’ map complete with ward-specific voting locations. Voting by mail is also an option from now until Election Day by downloading the ballot online and submitting it or dropping it off at your local election office. 

Zaunbrecher encourages people from all wards to come out and vote. She added that some wards in Minneapolis have higher voter turnouts — typically older, white and affluent neighborhoods — giving those areas greater influence in citywide races. 

“I think there is a lot of engagement in this race, ” Zaunbrecher said. “It’s going to be a turnout. What campaign can get their supporters to turn out and actually vote? Those are the ones who are going to win.”

Young people tend to vote at lower rates than older residents, Zaunbrecher said. 

“That is why the policies we get in government are geared toward older people, because politicians know who votes,” she said. “They don’t necessarily know that you voted for them, but they do know who votes.”

The University of Minnesota campus and nearby neighborhoods such as Marcy Holmes and Como fall within Ward 2, which has nine voting centers. Off-campus housing may also stretch into Ward 3, which contains 12 voting centers.

College students not registered to vote can bring their photo ID to a voting center, where election workers will verify their residence and register them.

Out-of-state students can change their residency to Minnesota and register to vote, said Leslie Koepke, who organizes voter registration at postsecondary schools. She said students should consider where their vote will make the most impact. 

Voter Registration

Minnesota allows registration at polling sites on Election Day or early voting locations, and automatically registers adults when they get a state-issued ID. Online registration requires a Minnesota driver’s license, ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number and an email address. 

Special circumstances, such as voters living abroad or being homeless, can be found on the Minneapolis Election and Voting website. High school students between the ages of 16-17 can also preregister to vote. 

You must re-register each time you change address or name. To check voter registration, go to the city of Minneapolis election and voting registration. 

Why ranked choice voting? 

Voters ranking all three of their preferences gives their ballot the most influence, said Jeanne Massey, executive director of FairVote Minnesota, an organization that advocates for ranked choice voting, or RCV. 

In November 2009, Minneapolis held the first election under an RCV system. An RCV system eliminates the primary, leading to more candidates running and giving lesser-known candidates time to introduce their policies to voters, according to Massey.

“We see more diverse candidates running and accelerated representation among women and people of color in particular under ranked choice voting,” Massey said.

Several local elections are coming up that use RCV, including the St. Paul mayor’s race and races in Bloomington, St. Louis Park and Minnetonka.

Koepke encourages people to think of voting as a marathon, not a sprint, and to keep voting even if discouraged by the results of previous elections. 

“If you don’t vote, you know nothing will change,” Koepke said. “What matters to you makes a difference.”