This is the first article in the League of Women Voters Minneapolis 2025 Democracy Series.
Election day is November 4, 2025. The window for voting starts with early voting from September 19 through November 3. Polls open on November 4 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You have the power to shape your city government in November by casting your vote for your chosen candidate running for the following positions.
What’s on the Ballot? Mayor of Minneapolis; 13 city council seats, one person for each of the 13 wards in Minneapolis; six district and three at-large seats on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board; two members of the Board of Taxation and Estimation. In addition, you may be asked to vote on possible ballot questions.
Mayor and City Council
This local election is important as the results will determine who will govern the City of Minneapolis. The mayor represents the approximately 436,000 Minneapolis residents and is the primary spokesperson for the city. Your council member represents one of 13 wards of about 34,000 people each.
Your mayor is the executive who oversees the day to day operation of the city and is responsible for hiring quality personnel. The mayor suggests a budget based on their priorities.
The city council is the legislative branch of city government. It drafts ordinances that govern housing, transportation, public health and much more. They have final authority over the budget which outlines how city tax dollars will be used. To find out which ward you live in and who currently is your representative go to minneapolismn.gov/government/city-council/find-my-ward/
The mayor and city council need to work together to improve the lives of the city’s residents. Whoever holds these offices needs both interpersonal skills and professional experiences to handle the many complex problems they will address collaboratively while in office.
Park and Recreation Board
Voters will choose their representatives to all six park districts and three at-large-seats for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. This board oversees 7000 acres of park land and water and is responsible for governing, maintaining and developing the park system. It develops park policies, decides on uses of neighborhood parks, parkways, beaches, lakes, pools, ice areas and golf courses. The 2025 budget for this board is $155 million.
Your vote for one of the six park district commissioners and at-large-commissioners gives you a say in how this city resource is maintained and grows. Do you want to know more about the goals, mission and accomplishments of this board? What park district you are in and who currently represents you? Who are the candidates and what are their visions for the Minneapolis Park system? You can gather information to answer those questions at these links:
minneapolisparks.org/about-us/leadership-and-structure/park-board-commissioners/
Board of Estimate and Taxation
Two positions on the Board of Estimate and Taxation will be selected in November. This board includes the two city-wide elected members along with the mayor, city council president, chair of the ways and means committee, and park board commissioner. This board has two specific powers: It sets the maximum property tax levy for the city and issues bonds to support capital construction projects. It holds public meetings to gather input from city residents. If you are concerned about your property taxes, either as a home owner or a renter, and want to have your voice heard then attend these public meetings. But just as important, vote in November directly for the two people who will serve as the city-wide elected members. For more info on the board’s mission and organization go to stories.opengov.com/minneapolismn/published/-i4ZmiqyafR.
Ranked Choice Voting
As of 2009, municipal elections in Minneapolis are determined using Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). This is a method of voting where you can choose up to three candidates in the order of your preference. You are given the opportunity to ‘rank’ your vote – first choice, second choice, and third choice. This voting method allows your vote to count toward another candidate if your favorite (first choice) candidate loses on the first ballot.
Conclusion: As the election nears, check out the League of Women’s Voters Minneapolis website (lwvmpls.org) for information on the candidates and forums where you can hear directly from the candidates about their stands on policy issues and their qualifications for the position to which they are running. Another place to research candidates’ views is at Vote411 (vote411.org/ballot). This site is sponsored by the National League of Women Voters Education Fund to provide voter information tailored to each state.
The second article in our League of Women Voter Minneapolis 2025 Democracy Series will provide a more in-depth look at the roles of the mayor and council members. We will examine how the decisions these elected officials make impact you.