MRLF Votes 2023 Endorsements for Local Races Minneapolis City Council, Bloomington City Council and Mayor, and Anoka-Hennepin School Board Endorsements Approved

MINNEAPOLIS — Delegates to the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO voted August 9 to endorse candidates for local races for Minneapolis city council, Bloomington city council and mayor, and Anoka-Hennepin school board.

For all these races, the general election will be Tuesday, November 7 and no primary election will be conducted.

For all local elections in the MRLF’s seven-county jurisdiction, the MRLF endorsement is the AFL-CIO endorsement.

Minneapolis city council:
11 incumbents endorsed

All 13 Minneapolis city council seats will be up for election on the November 7 ballot.

For this round of endorsements, the MRLF voted to endorse 11 incumbents and one candidate for an open seat.

The incumbents endorsed by the MRLF include:

 Elliot Payne, for Ward 1;

 Robin Wonsley, for Ward 2; 

 Michael Rainville, for Ward 3;

 LaTrisha Vetaw, for Ward 4;

 Jeremiah Ellison, for Ward 5; 

 Jamal Osman, for Ward 6; 

 Andrea Jenkins, for Ward 8;

 Jason Chavez, for Ward 9;

 Aisha Chughtai, for Ward 10; 

 Emily Koski, for Ward 11; 

 Linea Palmisano, for Ward 13.

Longtime Ward 7 incumbent Lisa Goodman is not running for re-election and the MRLF did not endorse in that race at this time.

In Ward 12, where incumbent Andrew Johnson is not seeking re-election, the MRLF endorsed Aurin Chaudhury.

Bloomington city council and mayor:
Mayor Tim Busse endorsed

In Bloomington races, the MRLF endorsed incumbent mayor Tim Busse for re-election along with five city council incumbents and one new candidate.

The city council incumbents endorsed by the MRLF include:

 Jenna Carter, for one of two At Large seats

 Dwayne Lowman, for District I;

 Shawn Nelson, for District II;

 Lona Dallessandro, for District III.

For the other At Large city council seat, the MRLF endorsed Chao Moua, who was appointed to the seat to fill a vacancy.

In the District IV race, Isaak Rooble won the MRLF’s endorsement.

The 2023 elections will bring the first year that Bloomington uses Ranked Choice Voting for its local city elections.

Anoka-Hennepin school board:
MRLF endorses two candidates

Three of the six seats on the Anoka-Hennepin school board are up for election November 7: Districts One, Two and Five.

Voting August 9, the MRLF endorsed first-term District One incumbent Erin Heers-McArdle for re-election.

The MRLF also voted to endorse Michelle Langenfeld for the District Five seat. Langenfeld is a former associate superintendent for the Anoka-Hennepin school district.

The District Five incumbent,  Michelle Hayes, is not running for re-election.

Early voting begins September 22

By state law, early voting begins Friday, September 22, whether in-person at local election offices or via mailed-in absentee ballot.

Any registered voter may vote early in-person or request an absentee ballot to vote by mail for any reason.

For voting information, including information about early voting, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website at mnvotes.org.