Running in 2025 for the one-time, three-year mayoral term are:

• Melvin Carter (incumbent)

• Yan Chen

• Adam Dullinger

• Kaohly Her

• Mike Hilborn

In 2025, local voters will be selecting a mayor in the November general election. This year's winner will serve a one-time, three-year term. Voters will also be voting on a school referendum and a question on administrative citations.

A special election was held on Aug. 12 for the Ward 4 seat vacated by the resignation of Mitra Jalali in February. Molly Coleman was elected and sworn in shortly after.

On Feb. 11, there was a special election for the District 4 Ramsey County Commissioner following the resignation of Trista Martinson, who took a job with the county. On the ballot were Joshua David Bau and Garrison McMurtrey. Voters elected McMurtrey, the county's first Black male commissioner.

On Nov. 5, 2024, St. Paul voters approved a shift in city elections (mayor and city council) from odd to even years. On Dec. 3, the Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) Board of Education voted 6-1 to move their elections to even years in line with city elections. This means there will not be a school board election in 2025 and that current board members’ terms will be extended by one year. The next school board race will occur in November 2026.

St. Paul Public Schools is asking the community to vote on an increase to the current operating levy of $1,073 per student, per year. If approved by voters, this would generate approximately $37.2 million per year in additional revenue for the district. This levy would extend for 10 years with annual inflation adjustments. 

The estimated additional property tax for a St. Paul home valued at $289,200 would be approximately $26 per month or $309 per year.

St. Paul voters will be asked to amend the city charter to allow the city to use administrative citations as a tool for enforcing local rules. Instead of criminal penalties, administrative citations impose civil citations for certain ordinance violations. Administrative citations provide a step toward achieving compliance in a manner that is consistent, timely, and appropriate for each situation, according to the city. Many cities in Minnesota and across the nation have implemented administrative fines as part of their enforcement strategy. This approach has proven effective in promoting compliance while minimizing unnecessary legal or financial burdens on residents, according to the city page on administrative citations.

VOTE411 is committed to ensuring voters have the information they need to successfully participate in every election. Whether it's local, state or federal, every election is important to ensuring our laws and policies reflect the values and beliefs of our communities. More at www.vote411.org

A non-partisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in all levels of government, works to increase understanding of major policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Just what is happening this election season? What do these elected officials even do? What are their job descriptions? Get informed at their site: www.lwvsp.org

Get information on the city of St. Paul election at the Ramsey County voting site. Find election maps, polling locations, information on how to register to vote, details on ranked choice voting, how to file for office, and more. Go to: https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/city-clerk/elections

View sample ballots and get election results on the Minnesota Secretary of State web site. You can also sign up to be an election judge, learn about other ways to vote, and register to vote here. Information is available in multiple language, including Somali, Hmong, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, Lao, Oromo, Khamer and Amharic. More here: https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/

Did you know? Local government bodies make decisions on a lot of things we may encounter each day. There are local government offices at the county level, city level and school board. Voters will vote on representatives for their district, city or ward based on where they live. Here are a few of the decisions local government bodies make that affect all Minnesotans:  

• County budget.
• Roads maintenance.
• Health and human services.
• Public health.
• Libraries.
• Parks and nature preserves.
• Recycling and refuse.
• Elections and voting.
• Veteran services.
• Human services. 
• Justice system.
• Law enforcement.
• Infrastructure.

Serve the community and promote the democratic process.

Election judges staff local polling places for the primary and general election as well as during early voting. You can earn money, meet your neighbors and help ensure that elections are administered in a fair manner. Judges must be 18 years old or older. There are positions for student election judges who are 16 andd 17 years old.

Learn more here.

Ranked voting allows voters to rank multiple candidates for the same office in order of preference.

Winning the election: A candidate wins the election by getting an absolute majority of first-choice votes – 50% plus one. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes on Election Day, a reallocation to determine a winner is anticipated to begin on Friday, November 5.

Reminder about school board: The Saint Paul School Board race, located on the other side of the ballot, does not use the ranked voting method. School board members will be elected using the traditional voting method.

Instructions: Pick your first choice by completely filling in the box next to that candidate’s name. If you have a second choice, fill in the box next to that candidate. Continue this process to pick your remaining choices, if you have any. Note: marking a candidate means that you would like them to receive your vote; there is a chance that any candidate you mark will have that vote counted toward their total. To learn more about the legal process for counting votes in the ranked voting method, visit the Ramsey County election results page for information on ranked voting reallocation.