35 candidates queue up in Minneapolis mayor's race
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
A record 35 candidates have filed to run for mayor of Minneapolis.
The likely leading candidates include City Council members Don Samuels and Betsy Hodges, former council members Jackie Cherryhomes and Dan Cohen, former Hennepin County commissioner Mark Andrew, Park Board Commissioner Bob Fine, business executive Stephanie Woodruff and attorney Cam Winton. But plenty of others want to become mayor.
City election officials say Minneapolis hasn't seen a mayor's race this crowded since at least the 1980s.
Three big factors are driving the stampede of contenders. With Mayor R.T. Rybak's decision not to seek re-election, the contest marks the first time in 20 years that the mayor election has not included an incumbent.
Support Local News
When breaking news happens, MPR News provides the context you need. Help us meet the significant demands of these newsgathering efforts.
Another factor is the voting system. The city uses ranked choice voting, which eliminates the primary election. Instead, all candidates appear on the general election ballot, and voters rank up to three of them in order of preference.
Also, the price of admission is low: for $20 a candidates may place their names on the city ballot.
An effort to hike the filing fee to $500 failed earlier this year.
St. Paul also has a mayor's race underway, but it is decidedly less competitive. There are only three candidates challenging incumbent Chris Coleman.