2025 Saint Paul mayoral election
November 4, 2025[1]
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First preference votes by ward Her: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% Carter: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Minnesota |
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The city of Saint Paul, Minnesota held an election on November 4, 2025, to elect the mayor.[2] It was held using ranked-choice voting.[3] The city elects mayors to four-year terms without term limits.[4] Incumbent mayor Melvin Carter III, first elected in 2017, lost reelection to State Representative Kaohly Vang Her. Both are members of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party.[5]
Her was elected the first female, first Hmong, and first Asian-American mayor of Saint Paul. Her was elected in an upset after final round tabulations gave her an advantage distributed from other challengers to Carter, scientist Yan Chen, businessman Mike Hilborn, and engineer Adam Dullinger.[6]
Background
During the 2024 general election, voters approved a measure to move Saint Paul's city elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years to coincide with the state's general elections, beginning 2028. Thus, as it currently stands, this will be the last regularly scheduled Saint Paul mayoral election to be held during the off-year.[7]
Candidates
Declared
- Melvin Carter III, incumbent mayor (DFL)[8]
- Yan Chen, scientist and 2023 Ward 1 city council candidate[9] (DFL)[10]
- Adam Dullinger, mechanical engineer[11] (I)[12]
- Kaohly Her, state representative from district 64A (DFL)[13]
- Mike Hilborn, businessman and 2024 Republican state house candidate[9] (I)[14]
Endorsements
Melvin Carter III (DFL)
- Statewide officials
- Keith Ellison, Attorney General of Minnesota (2019–present)[15]
- Peggy Flanagan, Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota (2019–present)[15]
- Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota (2019–present)[15]
- U.S. senators
- Amy Klobuchar, U.S. senator from Minnesota (2007–present)[15]
- Tina Smith, U.S. senator from Minnesota (2018–present)[15]
- State legislators
- Samakab Hussein, state representative from district 65A (2023–present)[16]
- Clare Oumou Verbeten, state senator from the 66th district (2023–present)[16]
- Sandy Pappas, state senator from the 65th district (1991–present)[16]
- Municipal officials
- Garrison McMurtrey, Ramsey County Commissioner from the 3rd district (2025–present)[16]
- Rena Moran, Ramsey County Commissioner from the 4th district (2023–present) and former state representative from district 65A (2011–2023)[16]
- Saint Paul city councilors
- Anika Bowie, Ward 1 (2024–present)[16]
- Molly Coleman, Ward 4 (2025–present)[16]
- Cheniqua Johnson, Ward 7 (2024–present)[16]
- Saura Jost, Ward 3 (2024–present)[16]
- Individuals
- Naomi Kritzer, speculative fiction writer and blogger[17]
- Labor unions
- American Federation of Teachers Local 28[18]
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 110[18]
- International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 82[18]
- Minnesota Nurses Association[19]
- North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters[18]
- Service Employees International Union Minnesota State Council[20]
- United Association Locals 34, 417, and 455[16]
- Organizations
- Sierra Club North Star Chapter[21]
Kaohly Her (DFL)
- State legislators
- John Hoffman, state senator from the 34th district (2013–present)[15]
- Zack Stephenson, DFL Caucus Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives (2025–present) from district 35A (2019–present)[16]
- Ryan Winkler, former Majority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives (2019–2023) from district 46A (2007–2015, 2019–2023)[15]
- Saint Paul city councilors
- Nelsie Yang, Ward 6 (2020–present)[16]
- Labor unions
- International Association of Fire Fighters Local 21[22]
- International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Local 10[16]
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters Joint Council #32[23]
- Organizations
- Everytown for Gun Safety[24]
- New American Leaders Action Fund[25]
- Saint Paul Association of Realtors[26]
Declined to endorse
- Municipal officials
- Steve Wellington, former Twin Cities Metropolitan Councilor (1993–1999)[16]
- Organizations
- Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce PAC[27]
- Party chapters
- Saint Paul Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party[28]
- Saint Paul Republican Party[29]
Results
| Candidate | Round 1 | Round 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |
| Kaohly Her | 25,884 | 38.28 | 32,295 | 47.76 |
| Melvin Carter III (incumbent) | 27,611 | 40.83 | 30,418 | 44.98 |
| Yan Chen | 6,522 | 9.64 | Eliminated | |
| Mike Hilborn | 5,815 | 8.59 | Eliminated | |
| Adam Dullinger | 1,619 | 2.39 | Eliminated | |
| Write-ins | 166 | 0.24 | Eliminated | |
| Exhausted ballots | N/a | 4,904 ballots | ||
| Total | 67,617 | 100.0% | 62,713 | 100.0% |
References
- ^ "St. Paul Mayoral Reallocation 11-4-25 (PDF)" (PDF). Ramsey County, Minnesota. November 4, 2025. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
- ^ "Elections Calendar". MN SOS. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
- ^ "Ranked Voting". Ramsey County, Minnesota. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ "Mayoral election in St. Paul, Minnesota (2025)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Tu, Becky Z. Dernbach, Katrina Pross, Katelyn Vue, Cynthia (November 4, 2025). "Kaohly Vang Her makes history as the first woman and first Hmong person to lead St. Paul". Sahan Journal. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Albertson-Grove, Josie (November 5, 2025). "Kaohly Her wins historic election, will be St. Paul's first Hmong mayor". www.startribune.com. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
- ^ Stokes, Kyle (November 6, 2025). "St. Paul voters approve moving city elections to even years". Axios Twin Cities. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
- ^ Lentz, Nick (August 4, 2025). "St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter seeking third term". CBS News. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
- ^ a b Stokes, Kyle (August 4, 2025). "St. Paul mayoral race heats up as Kaohly Vang Her announces run". Axios. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
- ^ "Meet Your Mayor: Yan Chen". Sahan Journal. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
- ^ Albertson-Grove, Josie (August 13, 2025). "Who will challenge Melvin Carter for St. Paul mayor?". Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
- ^ "Meet Your Mayor: Adam Dullinger". Sahan Journal. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
- ^ "Minnesota DFL Rep. Kaohly Her announces run for St. Paul mayor". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
- ^ "Meet Your Mayor: Mike Hilborn". Sahan Journal. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Cox, Peter (October 13, 2025). "5 candidates vie for St. Paul mayor". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Melo, Frederick (October 5, 2025). "As some big names sit out St. Paul mayor's race, others ponder city's challenges". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
- ^ Krizter, Naomi (October 9, 2025). "Election 2025: Saint Paul Mayoral Race". Will Tell Stories for Food. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Saint Paul Federation of Educators endorses Mayor Melvin Carter". Insight News. October 10, 2025. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
- ^ Cunningham, Shannon; Moriarty, Erin (August 21, 2025). "Nurses endorse St. Paul Mayoral and Minnesota State House candidates who stand with patients and nurses". Minnesota Nurses Association. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
- ^ "SEIU 2025 Endorsements". Service Employees International Union Minnesota State Council. August 18, 2025. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
- ^ "2025 Endorsements". Sierra Club. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
- ^ Saint Paul Professional Firefighters Local 21 [@iafflocal21] (October 12, 2025). "Saint Paul Firefighters are proud to endorse Kaohly Her for Mayor of Saint Paul". Instagram. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Teamsters Joint Council #32 [@jointcouncil32] (September 23, 2025). "Teamsters Joint Council 32 is proud to endorse Kaohly Her For St. Paul Mayor". Facebook. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "RSVP For A Gun Sense Voter Event: MN—St Paul Canvassing MN—Kaohly Her". Everytown for Gun Safety Gun Sense Voter. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
- ^ Delos Reyes, Jessica (September 15, 2025). "New American Leaders Action Fund Endorses 21 Candidates Across State and Local Races". New American Leaders Action Fund. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
- ^ "SPAAR endorses Kaohly Her for Saint Paul Mayor". St. Paul Association of Realtors. September 21, 2025. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
- ^ Fedor, Liz (September 19, 2025). "Nobody Wins St. Paul Mayoral Endorsement from Chamber PAC". Twin Cities Business Magazine. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
- ^ Albertson-Grove, Josie (September 14, 2025). "Short on money and volunteers, St. Paul DFL will skip mayoral endorsement". The Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
- ^ "Saint Paul Republicans: Candidates". Saint Paul Republicans. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
- ^ "St. Paul Mayoral Reallocation 11-4-25" (PDF). Ramsey County.