Jamal Osman (politician)
Jamal Osman | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Minneapolis City Council from the 6th Ward | |
| Assumed office August 28, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Abdi Warsame |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1983 or 1984 (age 41–42) |
| Party | Democratic |
| Children | 5 |
| Website | Official website |
Jamal Osman is an American politician. A member of Minnesota's Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, has served in the Minneapolis City Council since his 2020 election, representing 6th Ward. Ward 6 includes Cedar-Riverside, Elliot Park, Stevens Square, much of Phillips, and parts of Seward.[1]
Early life
Osman was born in Somalia and was a refugee in Kenya before coming to the United States when he was 14.[2] After arriving in Minnesota, he lived in public housing.[3]
Career
Prior to his political career, Osman worked as a Resident Advocate for CommonBond Communities, a nonprofit affordable housing organization, where he assisted tenants and helped connect them with social services.[4] He also worked as a community organizer, focusing on issues such as housing, education, and social services within Minneapolis's East African community.[5]
Minneapolis City Council
Osman was first elected to the Minneapolis City Council in a special election on August 11, 2020, succeeding Abdi Warsame.[6] He was re-elected in 2021 and again in 2023. In the 2023 election, he won with 48.3% of the vote after the second round of ranked-choice voting tabulation.[7]In the 2025 election, Osman won re-election against challenger Mohamoud Hassan (DFL), winning 58.7% of the vote in the first round.[8]
As of 2024, Osman serves as the Chair of the Business, Housing & Zoning Committee and is a member of the Climate & Infrastructure Committee.[9]
Personal life
Osman is Somali-American and was born in Somalia. He fled the civil war there as a child and grew up in refugee camps in Kenya before immigrating to the United States as a refugee.[10] He and his family live in the Phillips West neighborhood with their children.[11] As a teenager, he lived in public housing after arriving in Minnesota, an experience that he states inspired him to pursue a career in community service and helping others.[11]
Osman is married to Ilo Amba, the founder of the nonprofit organization Urban Advantage Services (UAS).[12] They have five children.[13] According to Osman, the family has resided in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood, but questions arose about his having had a Maplewood residential address during his 2020 campaign.[14]
Homophobic and antisemitic Facebook posts
In 2022, Osman apologized for making antisemitic and anti-gay comments that he made on Facebook between 2011 and 2013. His apology stated that the posts did not reflect his current beliefs and values.[15]
Connection to the Feeding Our Future controversy
On February 17, 2025, federal prosecutors presented evidence connecting Osman's former nonprofit, Stigma-Free International, to the large-scale fraud case centering Feeding Our Future.[16] Prosecutors alleged that Osman, his wife Ilo Amba, and two others, founded the nonprofit as a shell company before transferring it to others who were able to commit fraud under the nonprofit's name. Amba operated a Feeding Our Future food site, which received more than $450,000 in reimbursements from the program.[17][18][19] Neither Osman nor Amba has been charged with any crime.[20]
About a month after turning Stigma-Free over to new directors, Amba incorporated another nonprofit, Urban Advantage Center. Urban Advantage Center was shut down for civil violations in a settlement with state attorney general Keith Ellison, who alleged that Amba created a “sham” charity to enrich herself.[21]
Electoral history
Results
| 2025 Minneapolis City Council election, ward 6[8] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Round 1 | ||
| Votes | % | |||
| Democratic (DFL) | Jamal Osman (incumbent) | 4,164 | 58.78% | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Mohamoud Hassan | 2,837 | 40.05% | |
| Write-in | Write-ins | 83 | 1.17% | |
| Total active votes | 7,084 | 100.0% | ||
| 2023 Minneapolis City Council election, ward 6[7] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Round 1 | Round 2 | ||||
| Votes | % | Transfer | Votes | % | |||
| Democratic (DFL) | Jamal Osman (incumbent) | 2,317 | 44.73% | +183 | 2,500 | 58.18% | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Kayseh Magan | 1,553 | 29.98% | +244 | 1,797 | 41.81% | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Tiger Worku | 1,127 | 21.76% | -1,120 | Eliminated | ||
| Republican | Guy Gaskin | 174 | 3.36% | -174 | Eliminated | ||
| Write-in | Write-ins | 9 | 0.17% | -9 | Eliminated | ||
| Total active votes | 5,180 | 100.00% | -883 | 4,297 | 82.95% | ||
| 2021 Minneapolis City Council election, ward 6[22] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | % 1st Choice |
Round 1 | ||||
| Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | Jamal Osman (incumbent) | 59.41% | 3,722 | ||||
| Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party | Abdirizak Bihi | 39.39% | 2,468 | ||||
| Write-in | N/A | 1.20% | 75 | ||||
| Total votes | 6,871 | ||||||
| Threshold | 3,436 | ||||||
| Turnout | 43.5% | 6,871 | |||||
| Source: Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services | |||||||
| Minneapolis City Council Ward 6 special election, 2020[23] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Political party/principle | Candidate | Round 1 | % 1st Choice | Final round (Round 4) | Final round % | |
| DFL | Jamal Osman | 2,131 | 27.51 | 2,795 | 55.01% | |
| DFL | AJ Awed | 1,722 | 22.23 | 2,286 | 44.99% | |
| DFL | AK Hassan | 1,066 | 13.76 | Eliminated | ||
| DFL | Abdirizak Bihi | 1,002 | 12.94 | Eliminated | ||
| DFL | Michael P. Dougherty | 391 | 5.05 | Eliminated | ||
| DFL | Alex Palacios | 384 | 4.96 | Eliminated | ||
| DFL | Saciido Shaie | 333 | 4.30 | Eliminated | ||
| Exhausted | 2,665 | 34.40 | ||||
| Total active ballots | 7,746 | 100.0% | 5,081 | 65.60% | ||
References
- ^ "About Ward 6". City of Minneapolis. April 16, 2025. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
- ^ Ibrahim, Mohamed (May 3, 2020). "Candidates declare bids for Minneapolis City Council special election". The Minnesota Daily. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
- ^ Ansari, Hibah (August 14, 2020). "Jamal Osman wins Minneapolis Ward 6 City Council election". Sahan Journal.
- ^ Omar, Mohamed (August 13, 2020). "Jamal Osman wins special election for Minneapolis Ward 6 City Council seat". Sahan Journal. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ "Council Member Jamal Osman". City of Minneapolis. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ Omar, Mohamed (August 13, 2020). "Jamal Osman wins special election for Minneapolis Ward 6 City Council seat". Sahan Journal. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ a b "2023 City Council Ward 6 election results". Elections and Voter Services. City of Minneapolis. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ a b "2025 City Council Ward 6 election results". Elections and Voter Services. City of Minneapolis. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "Council Member Jamal Osman". City of Minneapolis. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ Omar, Mohamed (August 13, 2020). "Jamal Osman wins special election for Minneapolis Ward 6 City Council seat". Sahan Journal. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ a b "About Jamal Osman". City of Minneapolis. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ Smith, Kelly (October 11, 2022). "Wife of Minneapolis Council Member Jamal Osman leads nonprofit with ties to fraud investigation". Star Tribune. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ "About". Jamal Osman for Ward 6. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ Lyden, Tom (July 26, 2020). "Residency questions raised for Ward 6 candidates in Minneapolis City Council race". FOX 9.
- ^ Winter (December 20, 2022). "Minneapolis Councilman Jamal Osman apologizes for anti-gay, antisemitic posts". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
- ^ Peters (February 18, 2025). "Minneapolis City Council Member's former nonprofit allegedly used in Feeding Our Future fraud". Sahan Journal. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Coolican, J. Patrick; Magan, Kayseh (April 16, 2025). "Feeding Our Future's political connections should serve as a warning to the DFL". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ^ Bornhoft, William (July 22, 2025). "Socialist Mayoral Candidate Backed By Minneapolis Democrats Now Faces 'Feeding Our Future' Scrutiny". Patch.com. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ^ Raguse, Lou (February 28, 2025). "Minneapolis City Council Member accused MDE of 'racist tactics' when it tried to stop meal fraud". Kare11. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
- ^ Winter (February 18, 2025). "Minneapolis City Council Member Jamal Osman entangled in fraud trial". The Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Winter, Deena (November 11, 2024). "Keith Ellison shuts down nonprofit run by Minneapolis Council Member Jamal Osman's wife. He would later apologize for this scandal". Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
- ^ "2021 City Council Ward 6 election results". Elections and Voter Services. City of Minneapolis. November 2, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ^ "2020 Ward 6 Special Election Results". Elections and Voter Services. City of Minneapolis. Retrieved December 4, 2025.