The highest profile election in Minnesota this year will be held in Minneapolis on November 3rd. The mayor and every city council seat will be on the ballot--a ballot that will utilize a ranked choice voting method--a first in Minnesota and certain to draw deep post-election analysis.
The Minnesota Independence Party has endorsed several candidates in what officially is a non-partisan election. And candidates can choose their party affiliation (or not) on the ballot just about any way they want.
Ranked Choice Voting supporters say the voting method will force candidates to reduce the negativity and focus on issues and just play much more nicely together. And that is on display in Ward 6--arguably the most hotly contested race in Minneapolis this year.
Independence Party endorsee Mike Tupper (will appear on the ballot as Independent and was cross-endorsed by the Republican Party) and two of his opponents are actually campaigning together! Imagine that. They have been holding joint meet-and-greet sessions and do not criticize each other. Mike has called every voter twice, has strong fundraising, his yard signs are everywhere and has dropped thousands of door hangers. There is also strong buzz that many voters are leaving the one-term incumbent and supporting Tupper. This race is the most likely one to see an incumbent lose. If you'd like to contact Mike email him at miketupperforcitycouncil@gmail.com.
Ward 13 in the southwest corner of the city is known to be the most unpredictable. The ward was represented by Steve Minn of the Reform Party (forerunner to the Independence Party) from 1993 to 1997--completing his term one year before someone else was elected governor on the Reform Party ballot line--and the DFL has held the seat in only three of the last 15 years. The Independence Party and Republican endorsee is Kris Broberg. He will appear on the ballot as an Independent and last year was a delegate to the national Republican party convention as a part of the Ron Paul faction. Dean Barkley has gone public with his support. And, get this, he also has the backing of the Green Party. Can a candidate under the Ranked Choice voting method who has the support of three political parties topple a one-term DFL'er? Should be interesting. You can contact Kris at kris@krisbroberg.com.
Downtown in Ward 7 Mike Katch has been endorsed by the Independence, Republican, and Libertarian parties. He is the only credible challenger to 12-year entrenched incumbent Lisa Goodman. She has over $100,000 in campaign cash she apparently does not feel threatened enough to use and normally would expect to win in a walk. But a lawsuit over how she handled a housing development dogs her campaign and if there was going to be shocker it will be in this race. Mike is campaigning very hard and has an impressive phone banking operation. Contact peggykatch@gmail.com on how to volunteer.
Dan Alvin in Ward 10 and Todd Eberhardy in Ward 8 are working hard but certainly face long odds in two of the more DFL-entrenched parts of the city.
In all, there are 53 candidates running for 13 city council positions. If that level of participation is the result of having non-partisan, ranked choice voting elections who could possibly argue against that as a legitimate expansion of democracy.
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