2021 Minneapolis mayoral election
A mayoral election was held on November 2, 2021, to elect the mayor of the U.S. city of Minneapolis. Incumbent DFL mayor Jacob Frey won reelection to a second term, becoming the first Minneapolis mayor to win a second term since R. T. Rybak in 2005. Minneapolis mayoral elections use instant-runoff voting, also known as ranked-choice voting. All candidates appear on the same ballot and there is no primary election, nor is there a runoff. Minneapolis's twin city, Saint Paul, also held a mayoral election on the same day, using the same system.
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First preference votes by ward Frey: 30–34% 35–39% 40–44% 45–49% 50–54% 55–59% 60–64% Nezhad: 30–34% 35–39% 40–44% 45–49% 50–54% Knuth: 30-34% Awed: 40–44% 55–59% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Minnesota |
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The election came in the wake of a tumultuous period for Minneapolis, deeply affected by the murder of George Floyd and subsequent civil unrest. Frey's campaign faced challenges from a crowded field of candidates, including former state Representative Kate Knuth and community organizer Sheila Nezhad. Both Knuth and Nezhad aligned with more progressive factions within the DFL and advocated for policing reforms and formed an alliance urging their supporters to rank them as their top choices and exclude Frey from their preferences.
The election also featured discussions on issues such as affordable housing, climate change, and economic recovery post-COVID-19 lockdowns.