2021 Minneapolis mayoral election

2021 Minneapolis mayoral election

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Candidate Jacob Frey Kate Knuth Sheila Nezhad Party Democratic (DFL) Democratic (DFL) Democratic (DFL) First round 61,468 42.8% 26,468 18.4% 30,368 21.1% Final round 70,669 56.2% 55,007 43.8% Eliminated

Results by ward Results by precinct First preference votes by ward Frey:     30–34%     35–39%     40–44%     45–49%     50–54%     55–59%     60–64% Nezhad:     30–34%     35–39%     40–44%     45–49%     50–54% Knuth:     30–34% Awed:     40–44%     55–59%

Mayor before election Jacob Frey Democratic (DFL) Elected Mayor Jacob Frey Democratic (DFL)

A mayoral election was held on November 2, 2021, to elect the mayor of the U.S. city of Minneapolis. Incumbent DFL mayor Jacob Frey won reelection to a second term, becoming the first Minneapolis mayor to win a second term since R. T. Rybak in 2005. Minneapolis mayoral elections use instant-runoff voting, also known as ranked-choice voting. All candidates appear on the same ballot and there is no primary election, nor is there a runoff. Minneapolis's twin city, Saint Paul, also held a mayoral election on the same day, using the same system.

The election came in the wake of a tumultuous period for Minneapolis, deeply affected by the murder of George Floyd and subsequent civil unrest. ^[2] Frey's campaign faced challenges from a crowded field of candidates, including former state Representative Kate Knuth and community organizer Sheila Nezhad. Both Knuth and Nezhad aligned with more progressive factions within the DFL and advocated for policing reforms and formed an alliance urging their supporters to rank them as their top choices and exclude Frey from their preferences. ^{[3] [4]}

The election also featured discussions on issues such as affordable housing, climate change, and economic recovery post-COVID-19 lockdowns. ^[5]

Background

2017 election

Main article: 2017 Minneapolis mayoral election

Frey announced his candidacy for mayor of Minneapolis on January 3, 2017, ^[6] and won the November 7 election. ^{[7] [8]} He was sworn into office on January 2, 2018.

Frey is Minneapolis's second Jewish mayor, and its second-youngest after Al Hofstede, who was 34 when he was elected in 1973. ^[9] Frey campaigned on a platform of increasing support for affordable housing and improving police-community relations.

Candidates

Declared

• Nate "Honey Badger" Atkins (Libertarian), unconventional Libertarian ^{[10] [11]}
• A. J. Awed (DFL), co-executive director of the Cedar-Riverside Community Council ^{[12] [11]}
• Troy Benjegerdes (DFL), software engineer and candidate for mayor in 2013 and 2017 ^{[11] [13] [14] [15]}
• Bob Carney (Republican) ^[11]
• Clint Conner (DFL), attorney and social justice advocate ^{[16] [11]}
• Christopher David (DFL) ^[11]
• Jacob Frey (DFL), incumbent mayor ^{[17] [11]}
• Mark Globus (DFL), attorney and business leader ^{[18] [11]}
• Marcus Harcus (Grassroots–Legalize Cannabis), executive director of the Minnesota Campaign for Full Legalization ^{[11] [19]}
• Paul Johnson (Humanitarian-Community Party) ^{[20] [11]}
• Kate Knuth (DFL), educator and former state representative ^{[21] [11]}
• Doug Nelson (Socialist Workers) ^[11]
• Sheila June Nezhad (DFL), community organizer ^{[22] [11]}
• Jerrell Perry (For the People Party) ^[11]
• Laverne Turner (Republican), political advisor ^{[11] [23]}
• Kevin Ward (Independent) ^[11]
• Mike Winter (Independence), commercial driver, podcast host, and Teamster Union steward ^[11]

Withdrew

• David Tilsen (DFL), former Minneapolis School Board member (endorsed Nezhad) ^[24]
• Philip Sturm (DFL), U.S. Marine Corps veteran ^[25]

Endorsements

Seven DFL members of the Minnesota State Legislature signed a letter urging Minneapolis residents not to reelect Frey and to instead elect a new mayor who would fight racial discrimination while improving public safety. The legislators who signed the letter were senators Scott Dibble and Omar Fateh and representatives Esther Agbaje, Jim Davnie, Aisha Gomez, Emma Greenman, and Hodan Hassan. The letter stops short of endorsing any specific candidate, ^[26] but Agbaje, Davnie, Dibble, and Greenman separately endorsed Knuth. Gomez endorsed both Nezhad and Knuth. ^{[27] [28]}

Jacob Frey (incumbent, DFL)

Federal officials

• Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator from Minnesota ^[11]

Statewide officials

• Tim Walz, incumbent Governor of Minnesota (2019-present) ^[29]
• Keith Ellison, Attorney General of Minnesota (2019–present); U.S. Representative from MN-05 (2007–2019) ^[30]

Local officials

• Sharon Sayles Belton, former Mayor of Minneapolis (1994-2001) ^[11]

Labor unions

• American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 5 ^[11]
• International Union of Painters and Allied Trades DC 82 ^[11]
• Minneapolis Firefighters Local 82 ^[11]
• Service Employees International Union Minnesota State Council ^[11]
• Teamsters Joint Council 32 ^[11]

Kate Knuth (DFL)

U.S. representatives

• Ilhan Omar, U.S. Representative from MN-05 (2019–present) (dual endorsement with Sheila Nezhad) ^[31]

State legislators

• Esther Agbaje, Minnesota state representative from District 59A ^[32]
• Karen Clark, former Minnesota state senator from District 62A ^[33]
• Jim Davnie, Minnesota state representative from District 63A ^[27]
• Scott Dibble, Minnesota state senator from District 61 ^[34]
• Aisha Gomez, Minnesota state representative from District 62B (dual endorsement with Sheila Nezhad) ^[35]
• Emma Greenman, Minnesota state representative from District 63B ^[27]
• Erin Murphy, Minnesota state senator from District 64 and former DFL House Majority Leader ^[11]
• Jean Wagenius, former Minnesota state representative from District 63B ^[11]

Local officials

• Lisa Bender, Minneapolis City Council President ^[11]
• Brad Bourn, Minneapolis Park Board Commissioner ^[27]
• Alondra Cano, Minneapolis City Council Member ^[11]
• Steve Fletcher, Minneapolis City Council Member ^[11]
• Phillipe Cunningham, Minneapolis City Council Member (dual endorsement with Sheila Nezhad)
• Cam Gordon, Minneapolis City Council Member (Green) ^[27]
• Jeremiah Ellison, Minneapolis City Council Member (dual endorsement with Sheila Nezhad)
• Jeremy Schroeder, Minneapolis City Council Member ^[11]

Party caucuses

• Minnesota DFL Environmental Caucus ^[11]

Organizations

• 350 Action Minnesota(dual endorsement with Sheila Nezhad) ^[11]
• OutFront Minnesota Action (second choice) ^[11]
• Sierra Club Minneapolis Political Committee ^[11]
• TakeAction Minnesota (dual endorsement with Sheila Nezhad) ^[11]

Sheila Nezhad (DFL)

U.S. representatives

• Ilhan Omar, U.S. Representative from MN-05 (2019–present) (dual endorsement with Kate Knuth)' ^[31]

State legislators

• Aisha Gomez, Minnesota state representative from District 62B (dual endorsement with Kate Knuth) ^[36]

Local officials

• Phillipe Cunningham, Minneapolis City Council Member (dual endorsement with Kate Knuth) ^[37]
• Jeremiah Ellison, Minneapolis City Council Member (dual endorsement with Kate Knuth) ^[38]

Party caucuses

• Minnesota Young DFL ^[39]

Organizations

• 350 Action Minnesota (dual endorsement with Kate Knuth) ^[11]
• Clean Water Action
• LGBTQ Victory Fund ^[40]
• Minnesota Stonewall Democrats ^[39]
• National Iranian American Council Action ^[41]
• OutFront Minnesota Action (first choice) ^[11]
• Run for Something ^[11]
  1. VOTEPROCHOICE ^[42]
• TakeAction Minnesota (dual endorsement with Kate Knuth) ^[43]
• Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America ^[11]
• Twin Cities Mutual Aid Project ^[39]

Nate "Honey Badger" Atkins (L)

Individuals

• Spike Cohen, 2020 vice presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party ^{[44] [45]}
• Larry Sharpe, activist, political candidate ^[46]

Party caucuses

• Minnesota Legal Marijuana Now Party ^{[47] [48]}
• Libertarian Party of Minnesota ^[49]
• Mises Caucus ^{[50] [51]}

No endorsement

Party caucuses

• Minneapolis DFL ^[52]

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports (1/1/2021–7/27/2021)
Candidate [a]	Total raised	Expenses	Cash on hand
Nate Atkins	$13,041	$10,616	$2,424
A. J. Awed	$263,005	$235,464	$27,598
Troy Benjegerdes	$0	$0	$0
Bob Carney	$0	$0	$0
Clint Conner	$60,450	$45,589	$14,860
Christopher David	$912	$712	$200
Jacob Frey	$676,271	$754,283	$155,767
Mark Globus	$25,420	$23,413	$2,006
Marcus Harcus	$0	$0	$0
Paul Johnson	$3,225	$2,305	$919
Kate Knuth	$227,505	$179,710	$47,795
Sheila Nezhad	$231,501	$186,529	$49,667
Jerrell Perry	$4,564	$3,983	$581
Laverne Turner	$1,830	$1,042	$753
Mike Winter	$150	$150	$0
[53]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [A]	Margin of error	RCV count	A. J. Awed	Jacob Frey	Kate Knuth	Sheila Nezhad	Others	Exhausted ballots	Undecided
ALG Research (D) [54] [B]	October 16–19, 2021	600 (LV)	± 4.0%	1	3%	44%	10%	25%	4%	–	13%
				3	–	45%	12%	26%	–	4%	13%
				4	–	47%	–	27%	–	12%	13%

Results

2021 Minneapolis mayoral general election ^[55]

Candidate	Round 1		Round 2
	Votes	%	Votes	%
Jacob Frey (incumbent)	61,620	42.8%	70,669	56.2%
Sheila June Nezhad	30,368	21.1%	Eliminated
Kate Knuth	26,468	18.4%	55,007	43.8%
A. J. Awed	6,860	4.8%	Eliminated
Laverne Turner	4,620	3.2%	Eliminated
Clint Conner	4,309	3%	Eliminated
Bob Carney	2,788	1.9%	Eliminated
Marcus Harcus	1,189	0.8%	Eliminated
Nate Atkins	1,179	0.8%	Eliminated
Mark Globus	1,158	0.8%	Eliminated
Doug Nelson	739	0.5%	Eliminated
Jerrell Perry	687	0.5%	Eliminated
Mike Winter	642	0.4%	Eliminated
Christopher David	493	0.3%	Eliminated
Kevin Ward	282	0.2%	Eliminated
Paul Johnson	243	0.2%	Eliminated
Troy Benjegerdes	184	0.1%	Eliminated
Write-ins	145	0.1%	Eliminated
Inactive ballots	0 ballots		18,298 ballots
Total	143,974	100.0%	143,974	100.0%

2021 Minneapolis mayoral general election ^[55]

Party		Candidate	Maximum round	Maximum votes	Share in maximum round	Maximum votes First round votesTransfer votes
	Democratic (DFL)	Jacob Frey (incumbent)	2	70,669	56.2%	​​
	Democratic (DFL)	Kate Knuth	2	55,007	43.8%	​​
	Democratic (DFL)	Sheila Nezhad	1	30,368	21.1%	​​
	Democratic (DFL)	A.J. Awed	1	6,860	4.8%	​​
	Republican	Laverne Turner	1	4,620	3.2%	​​
	Democratic (DFL)	Clint Conner	1	4,309	3.0%	​​
	Republican	Bob Carney	1	2,788	1.9%	​​
	Grassroots—LC	Marcus Harcus	1	1,189	0.8%	​​
	Libertarian	Nate Atkins	1	1,179	0.8%	​​
	Democratic (DFL)	Mark Globus	1	1,158	0.8%	​​
	Socialist Workers	Doug Nelson	1	739	0.5%	​​
	For the People	Jerrell Perry	1	687	0.5%	​​
	Independence	Mike Winter	1	642	0.4%	​​
	Democratic (DFL)	Christopher David	1	493	0.3%	​​
	Independent	Kevin Ward	1	282	0.2%	​​
	Humanitarian-Community	Paul Johnson	1	243	0.2%	​​
	Democratic (DFL)	Troy Benjegerdes	1	184	0.1%	​​
	Write-in		1	145	0.1%	​​

Notes

1. The following candidates filed campaign finance reports with Hennepin County. Doug Nelson and Kevin Ward did not file a report, and thus are not listed.

Partisan clients

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
2. This poll was sponsored by All of Mpls, which supports Frey

See also

• 2021 Minneapolis municipal election
• 2021 Minneapolis Question 2

References

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35. "Dr. Kate Knuth on Instagram: "New endorsement!!🧡 Thank you, Rep. Aisha Gomez for your dedication to environmental justice, housing, and equity. We are deeply grateful for your support!"".
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54. ALG Research (D)
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External links

• Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services

Official campaign websites

• A.J. Awed (DFL) for Mayor
• Jacob Frey (DFL) for Mayor
• Kate Knuth (DFL) for Mayor
• Sheila June Nezhad (DFL) for Mayor
• Philip Sturm (DFL) for Mayor Archived May 3, 2021, at the Wayback Machine
• Mark Globus (DFL) for Mayor