[ad_1]
Incumbent Melvin Carter is leading the St. Paul mayoral race Tuesday night with two-thirds of all ballots counted in the first round. Carter holds only a three-point lead over his closest challenger, State Rep. Kaohly Her.
Voters in St. Paul headed to the polls on Tuesday in the election to decide who they want as the city’s mayor, whether to support a city measure regarding administrative citations and on a school referendum.
After polls closed at 8 p.m., WCCO News began providing live results online from every race in the state, including dozens of school referendums.
Live election results for the St. Paul mayoral race
Five candidates are running to be mayor of St. Paul: incumbent Mayor Melvin Carter, Yan Chen, Adam Dullinger, State Rep. Kaohly Her and Mike Hilborn.
St. Paul, like most major urban areas, faces difficulties revitalizing its downtown and other neighborhoods in the post-pandemic era.
Here are the current results for the St. Paul mayoral race.
What platforms are the St. Paul mayoral candidates running on?
Carter is vying for a third term at the position. He was elected as the city’s 46th mayor in 2017, becoming the first Black man to hold the position. He successfully ran for reelection in 2021. He played a key role in pushing Gov. Tim Walz to call back state workers to in-person work for at least half of their workweek. That has brought thousands of workers back to downtown St. Paul.
Chen is a scientist and business owner who immigrated to America at 19, according to her campaign website. Chen’s top priorities include public safety, community governance, housing and economic development, and integrating people experiencing homelessness back into the community. She previously ran for a seat on the St. Paul City Council.
Dullinger, according to his campaign website, was born and raised in Minnesota and has been a St. Paul resident for six years. He says organized labor, including unions, can benefit the “entire labor market,” and that the city needs a mayor “who truly cares and continues to promote unions.”
Dullinger is also focused on public housing, bicycle infrastructure and finding ways to reduce spending.
Her has represented St. Paul in the Minnesota House since 2019. She’s worked as a policy director for Carter for nearly four years. She was born in Laos before coming to the U.S. as a refugee when she was 3 years old. Her says the city needs safe communities, a vibrant economy, affordable and abundant housing and to defend residents against Trump administration policies that she says are “cruel and arbitrary.”
Hilborn is a lifelong resident of St. Paul and the founder of a restoration business. His mission is to bring “good that elevates everyone,” according to his campaign website. Hilborn wants to lower taxes, hold criminals accountable, support police by “providing them the tools they need,” expand homeless shelters and revitalize the downtown area.
Administrative citation measure
St. Paul residents will vote on a measure regarding administrative citations, also known as civil penalties. Unlike most cities in the state, St. Paul can only use criminal penalties to enforce ordinances.
If the measure passes, the City Charter would be amended so that administrative citations could be issued for people who violate city ordinances.
Supporters say criminal penalties are too harsh for small infractions and often let wealthier offenders delay the criminal process. Former St. Paul City Councilmember Jane Prince said the city could abuse the power to fine without limit, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
School referendum
St. Paul Public Schools is seeking an increase in its operating levy to $1,073 per student. The district says the referendum would generate around $37 million per year in additional revenue.
The district created a tax calculator that residents can use to see how the referendum, if passed, would impact them. According to an example officials shared, the estimated additional property tax for a $289,200 home would be around $26 per month or $309 per year.
[ad_2]
Nick Lentz
Source link