A Minneapolis City Council that has in recent years sparred with incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey was able to maintain its progressive majority Tuesday night, despite a loss in the western part of the city.
Katie Cashman, who represented Ward 7, was unseated by Elizabeth Shaffer, who served as a Minneapolis Park commissioner for three years and was backed by Frey and the centrist PAC All of Minneapolis.
Still, it was a solid night for incumbents, who otherwise held on to their seats.
Aside from Shaffer, the council will welcome three new faces this cycle: Soren Stevenson in Ward 8, Jamison Whiting in Ward 11 and a member in Ward 5, which had not been called as of Wednesday morning.
Pearll Warren led in the ward vacated by Jeremiah Ellison after the first round of tabulation, with Ethrophic Burnett trailing by 400 votes. Warren was endorsed by the same PAC as Shaffer.
Even if Warren wins, the progressive bloc of the council will hold seven seats, though it’s not enough to override a mayoral veto.
Stevenson picked up a seat for the progressives in a ward that was held by Andrea Jenkins, who opted not to run for reelection. Stevenson, who was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, lost to Jenkins by 38 votes in 2023, but took home 2,000 more than his closest challenger Josh Bassais on Tuesday.
Whiting was also endorsed by the All of Minneapolis PAC and will represent the district held by Emily Koski, who had a brief mayoral run. Preliminary results show Whiting with 63% of the vote.
In the last two years, Frey has disagreed with the city council over a pay boost for rideshare drivers, the creation of a labor standards board and a city budget. In February, the council advanced a plan for a pedestrian plaza at East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, also known as George Floyd Square, by voting 9-4 to override Frey’s veto.
Frey held a 10-point lead over state Sen. Omar Fateh after the first round of counting, but the race has yet to be called.
Voters in Minneapolis turned out in record numbers for the 2025 municipal election, city officials said. According to unofficial results, 55% of registered voters cast their ballots, compared to the previous record of 54% in 2021.
Below are the preliminary results of the Minneapolis City Council race:
- Ward 1: Council President Elliott Payne
- Ward 2: Robin Wonsley
- Ward 3: Michael Rainville
- Ward 4: LaTrisha Vetaw
- Ward 5:
- Ward 6: Jamal Osman
- Ward 7: Elizabeth Shaffer
- Ward 8: Soren Stevenson
- Ward 9: Jason Chavez
- Ward 10: Aisha Chughtai
- Ward 11: Jamison Whiting
- Ward 12: Aurin Chowdhury
- Ward 13: Linea Palmisano
To see the latest election results in Minnesota, click here.
Aki Nace
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