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West Side residents can now vote on a new name for Cesar Chavez Street.
Why: After sexual assault allegations came out against the late Cesar Chavez this spring, renaming moved forward quickly.
Process: The West Side Community Organization (WSCO) hosted listening sessions in July to take resident input on potential new names. The proposed names were shaped by community input, neighborhood history, and the city’s naming criteria.
The Name Options
Here are the proposed new name options and explanations from WSCO:
- Del Sol Street: Speaks to cultural identity and the light of the community.
- El Barrio Street: Celebrates the neighborhood and the relationships that make this place home.
- El Rio Vista Street: Connects to the river, the land, and history.
- La Raza Street: Honors the people, cultural pride, and generations of community power.
- West Side Street: Speaks directly to neighborhood pride and belonging.
How to Vote
There will be two in-person voting options and an online option available. Note that only West Side residents and business/property owners in ZIP code 55107 are eligible to vote. Here’s where to vote:
- Tuesday, August 18 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the WSCO office at 209 Page Street West.
- Tuesday, August 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Wellstone Center at 179 Robie Street East.
- Online voting will be available from WSCO starting August 18.
Background: In late 2003 the St. Paul City Council passed a resolution to rename Concord Street, with the first Cesar Chavez Street sign going up during the Cinco de Mayo festivities in 2004.
Aug. 18, 2026 Update: Vote Postponed
In response to feedback, WSCO has postponed the voting. Here’s an update they posted to Facebook:
We see the comments, and we hear the frustration. We wanted to take the time to pull together clear, accurate information before responding, rather than rush a reply. While Concord St. did emerge as an important recommendation from residents, even more community input pointed toward a new street name. Other established guidelines also factored into Concord not advancing as a finalist. This process involved real community input, guiding principles, and months of work. Please know that we’re taking this feedback seriously in the next steps of this process. To learn more about the entire process and naming criteria, visit https://www.wsco.org/streetrenaming_about
They also added an additional post explaining the postponement.
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6 Responses
yes, you should add another option: Leave it the F…. alone. He isnt here to defend himself. Just saying.
It’s unfortunate that all of the calls from residents to just go back to naming Concord were ignored as an option to vote on.
Totally agree! When I took a look at the names I was surprised not to see it because that would have been my choice also.
Or just go back to concord like before.
Robert says:
What were the “established guidelines” that factored into the exclusion of Concord as an option? The name of the street should not favor one culture over another considering the diverse make up of the area.
The street should be named after Gilbert Delao he has been figure and a Big Brother for all