2013 Minneapolis Municipal Election

[FISHMANPET]

Where can I find new ward maps? I'm right on the border in the old wards, so I want to see where I fall this time around.

Also, when does the DFL machine start endorsing?

[gpete]

Precinct caucuses are April 16, and ward conventions begin very soon after that. For example, Ward 10 Convention is on April 27.

[woofner]

Where can I find new ward maps? I'm right on the border in the old wards, so I want to see where I fall this time around.

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/maps/about ... ard-finder

This is the best map I've found of the new wards:

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 089896.pdf

[twincitizen]

Are there challengers in other races and I just have not heard of them? Or are things comparatively quiet in most Wards (other than 3 and 10)?

I'm not talking about token GOP and Green Party candidates, but moreso challengers for the DFL nominations.

Will the DFL endorse someone in Ward 2 to face off with Cam (G)?

Certainly someone is challenging Lisa Goodman in 7, no? (Nothing against her personally, just that she's been semi-controversial and not universally liked)

What about Ward 13? Will Matt Perry go unchallenged for Hodges' old seat?

Where are the Somali candidates in 6?

If/when the DFL fails to endorse a mayoral candidate in April, will any of the 3 current councilmembers drop out and retreat to their safe council seat?

When is the filing deadline? I presume it is well after caucus?

[woofner]

Luckily there is a candidate in Ward 13 who is not Matt Perry, and she's actually really great:

http://mncampaignreport.com/diary/12938 ... gn-kickoff

At some point I got the impression that RT is buddies with Matt Perry, and if so that'll probably do it for him, unfortunately.

[fehler]

The Green Party held a meeting in Ward 12 last night at Hiawatha School Park. They claim to have gotten three Ward 12 candidates to show up, one seeking DFL endorsement and two who will be running as Greens, plus a Park Board and a BET who will both seek DFL.

At the other end of the building, the Cub Scouts of Pack 38 made some paper bag puppets, none of which declared candidacy.

[twincitizen]

Does anyone else get the sense that the Ward 3 race is already over? Unless Diane gets the DFL endorsement somehow, this one seems completely in the bag for Frey.

[MNdible]

Does anyone else get the sense that the Ward 3 race is already over? Unless Diane gets the DFL endorsement somehow, this one seems completely in the bag for Frey.

I don't get that impression, unfortunately. She's got a good name, and that still carries a lot of water in this town (especially important in Northeast).

[twincitizen]

A former professor of mine wrote this about Minneapolis' first election using Ranked-Choice Voting and how 2nd choices matter: http://left.mn/2013/02/second-choice-rc ... from-2009/

[HoratioRincewind]

Does anyone else get the sense that the Ward 3 race is already over? Unless Diane gets the DFL endorsement somehow, this one seems completely in the bag for Frey.

Between mayoral politics, IRV strategy, low turnout etc. don't get too far ahead of yourself.

[twincitizen]

You're totally right. I got a little excited when those 4 current councilmembers endorsed Frey. It just screamed "Diane is a horrible person to work with". Also, Frey's campaign is all over social media, while Hofstede's is not. I have heard nary a peep from her campaign anywhere. Now that I've heard a little more backstory on her, family name actually meaning something to old people in NE, etc, I see that Frey still has huge obstacles to overcome. Keith Ellison endorsing Hofstede though? What the frig is that about? I understand why Phillis Kahn and others in the east side political circle would back her, but the US Congressman doing it is just weird. Rybak will most likely endorse Hofstede, as payback for her stadium vote.


Almost forgot: http://www.southwestjournal.com/news/20 ... money-fast

[FISHMANPET]

You're totally right. I got a little excited when those 4 current councilmembers endorsed Frey. It just screamed "Diane is a horrible person to work with". Also, Frey's campaign is all over social media, while Hofstede's is not. I have heard nary a peep from her campaign anywhere. Now that I've heard a little more backstory on her, family name actually meaning something to old people in NE, etc, I see that Frey still has huge obstacles to overcome. Keith Ellison endorsing Hofstede though? What the frig is that about? I understand why Phillis Kahn and others in the east side political circle would back her, but the US Congressman doing it is just weird. Rybak will most likely endorse Hofstede, as payback for her stadium vote.


Almost forgot: http://www.southwestjournal.com/news/20 ... money-fast

Someone from Diane's staff is pretty active on a Facebook group for our Senate District (I think 59?). She's not my council person, but I'm guessing SD59 encompasses all or most of the 3rd ward?

[nordeast homer]

She is my council person and I'm not a fan in the slightest. Some of my neighbors love her, but I felt she was abrasive. She came to our national night out event and I tried talking to her about some issues in the area; first she got accusatory, then defensive, then refused to talk to me anymore. I never raised my voice, it never got heated, I just asked some simple questions.

[woofner]

The Minneapolis DFL website has a list of everyone seeking their endorsement by office/ward sought:

http://www.mpls.dfl.org/

Apparently no one is seeking their endorsement in Ward 2, which I have mixed feelings about as someone who is a big Cam Gordon fan but also thinks that a functional democracy should have actual races every once in a while.

That leaves Ward 9 as the only chance for an interparty race, with the Greens' endorsement of the endlessly energetic Ty Moore posing a threat to the promising DFLer Alondra Cano. I'd guess (hope) there will be a few races where DFLers will face DFLers though.

[Nick]

Borderline serious question: So, imagine in ten or fifteen years and there are 20,000 more people living downtown. Many of them are very wealthy. I wonder what kind of impact that will have on at least that particular set of wards? I don't really think that Michele Bachmann would get elected that way but isn't that kind of an interesting thing to think about?

Note: Siri can totally spell Michele Bachmann correctly.

[MNdible]

Southwest Minneapolis is quite wealthy, and while they're electing perhaps more moderate DFL'ers, no doubt they're still DFL'ers. In the past, there have been independents elected from those areas -- Barret Lane and Steve Minn come to mind -- but they tended to be only modestly more conservative, and only when it came to fiscal matters.

[twincitizen]

Strib's got the round-up on the contested council races: http://www.startribune.com/local/minnea ... 60741.html

A few typos here and there, but otherwise a solid piece.

[twincitizen]

Matt Perry picks up some endorsements in W13: http://www.southwestjournal.com/news/20 ... rd-13-race

So what happens if/when Betsy Hodges performs poorly at the DFL endorsing convention and decides to re-enter the W13 race? Same question for Gary Schiff in W9 vs. Alondra Cano.

[MNdible]

I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that there's no endorsement out of the convention this year. I think everybody stays in to the bitter end.

Regardless, I think it would be poor form to return to a council race. I know it happens at other levels, but I don't think it would play well here.

[seanrichardryan]

It's very poor form.