MN Blog Cabin Roundup, 11/22
Fun with Minneapolis election graphs, why cities want you to bike, JFK remembrances and more.
Fun with Minneapolis election graphs, why cities want you to bike, JFK remembrances and more.
The two agreed at Tuesday’s session on top agenda items, work to finish — and a smooth transition.
After many rounds of reallocating ballots, Thao beats Noel Nix by more than 200 votes, according to unofficial results. He’ll be the city’s first Hmong American council member.
It’s also possible that some newcomers could end up chairing major committees.
The newcomers include the first representatives from the Hmong, Latino and Somali communities.
If officials had adhered to one specific statement in the ordinance, they could have eliminated 32 candidates at once and announced a winner within an hour.
“The traditional election of machine politics is not as effective as it used to be,” said Abou Amara, policy director for Don Samuels’ campaign. “It’s more coalition politics.”
A self-described DFL progressive, the eight-year City Council member does her homework and doesn’t quit a fight just because things aren’t going her way.
Minneapolis’ election was a generation changer preparing the city for the future, while in St. Paul it was an endorsement of the status quo. In both cities, RCV was vindicated.
Political junkie with the time — and the patience — can keep track of the laborious process at two sites.
“Minneapolis is going through a demographic shift, and as a result what we’re seeing is the realignment of the DFL,” said Hamline University professor David Schultz.
Hodges’s first-round showing was so strong that her closest opponent, Mark Andrew, said she would be an excellent mayor.
A sample of voters and election judges reported little confusion with ranked-choice voting, new polling machines or the lengthy list of mayoral candidates.
Minneapolis has 108 candidates running in 22 different municipal races — many with no clear front-runner. Little drama is expected in St. Paul.
Both deal with whether to adopt or reject a new plain-language city charter that eliminates out-of-date provisions and language dating to 1920.
After two decades of efforts, the local electorate agreed in 1920 to a charter plan that gave Minneapolis home rule.
But that doesn’t mean those voting early at City Hall have enjoyed sorting out the candidates or that they are huge fans of ranked-choice voting.
With seven candidates, it’s likely the Ward 1 outcome will come down to the second and third rankings, much like it did two years ago when Dave Thune won re-election.
All eight of the leading candidates say they’re ready to go. Their two big challenges: convincing the undecided and getting their supporters to the polls.
When voters have more than one preference to express, candidates must work to appeal to a much broader pool of voters.