Support West St. Paul Reader by becoming a patron.
In the midst of all the coronavirus news, there is still a municipal election this year. Four seats will be on the ballot in West St. Paul in November. The mayor and three council seats—one for each ward—will be up this year.
So who’s going to run?
(See our West St. Paul Voter’s Guide for the November 2020 election.)
How West St. Paul Elections Work
First, let’s talk about how to run for office. The mayor serves a two-year term and city council members serve a four-year term. In order to run you need to be a qualified voter and live in the area you’re representing (use this city map to find out which ward you live in).
The filing period to run for either office opens May 19 and closes June 2 (the withdrawal deadline is June 4, which means you have two days to change your mind and pull out). There is a $20 filing fee.
If there are more than two candidates for any race, there will be a primary on August 11. The two top candidates in the primary will go on to the general election on November 3.
Why Talk Who’s Running?
The topic of who’s running has often been a subject of gossip and whispers. But it’s good for our local democracy to have an open conversation about who’s running.
- If you like who’s running, you can start to build positive buzz.
- If you don’t like who’s running, maybe you should talk to your neighbors and find someone else (or you should run!).
- If a race is uncontested—and more than a third of West St. Paul races have been uncontested in the past 30 years—then maybe it’s time to start recruiting. Contested elections are good for our democracy.
- And just because someone is running, that doesn’t mean you or someone else can’t or shouldn’t run. Our democracy is strengthened by participation.
The filing deadline is two months away. While that feels like a few lifetimes in the age of COVID-19, it’s really not a lot of time to make a big decision like running for office. So let’s talk about it now.
So Who’s Going to Run Already?
Here’s our confirmed list of who’s in for the 2020 West St. Paul election.
Planning on running? Let us know. (Or tired of people asking you if you’re running when you’re not? Let us know that too.)
Mayor
- Dave Napier (incumbent) – Running & officially filed (campaign site)
- Jonathan Diamond – Running & officially filed (no campaign site)
- Kimetha Johnson – Running & officially filed (campaign site)
- Jeramie Torkelson – Running & officially filed (dropped out)
(See our 2020 Primary Voter’s Guide)
City Council Ward 1
- Bob Pace (incumbent) –
Tells us there’s a “75% chance” he’s not running.– Running & officially filed - Julie Eastman – Running & officially filed (campaign site)
City Council Ward 2
- Anthony Fernandez (incumbent) – Running & officially filed
- Robyn Gulley – Running & officially filed (campaign site)
City Council Ward 3
- Lisa Eng-Sarne (incumbent) – Running & officially filed (campaign site)
- David Meisinger – Running & officially filed
We’ll do our best to keep this updated as we approach the filing period. It won’t be official until candidates can file starting on May 19 and running through June 2.
Then it’s time to vote on November 3 (and maybe an August 11 primary). Make sure you’re registered to vote.
Remember: People can change their minds. Even with a confirmation, this list isn’t official. Life happens and things change. Also, we’re not dealing in speculation. These are confirmed candidates willing to share that info publicly—not everyone is ready or willing to share that info.
You Should Run
Want to add your name to this list? You should run.
Or maybe you know someone who would make a great city council member or mayor. Tell them they should run.
“Run for office. Even though it’s hard, even though you might lose, and even if you’re scared—especially if you’re scared—if you care about the future of this country and our democracy, you need to run. You can do this.”
Amanda Litman, Run for Something (this book is written from a Democratic perspective, but if you can get past that bias, it’s an incredibly helpful resource)
Want to know what it’s like to run and serve in office? Read our interview with former West St. Paul City Council Member Darlene Lewis.
There are also a lot of organizations out there helping people run for office:
Minnesota Organizations:
National Organizations:
- Higher Heights
- Latino Victory
- Latinas Represent
- Run for Something
- Run With Pride
- Reviving Sisterhood
- She Should Run
- Vote Run Lead
Support West St. Paul Reader by becoming a patron.
West St. Paul Reader 