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2021 Saint Paul mayoral election
	Carter: >90% 80–90% 70–80% 60–70% 50–60% 40–50% 30–40% ; Guerin: 30–40%
Mayor before election; Melvin Carter III; Democratic (DFL)	Elected mayor ; Melvin Carter III; Democratic (DFL)

The city of Saint Paul, Minnesota held an election on November 2, 2021, to elect the mayor. It was held with ranked-choice voting,^[1] and there was no primary election. Few candidates filed to challenge incumbent mayor Melvin Carter III, and he easily won a second term with over 60% of first-preference votes.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Background

Incumbent Mayor Melvin Carter III announced he would seek a second term as mayor on January 26, 2021.^[5] During his first term, Mayor Carter presided over the unrest in the Twin Cities after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis; making policing and public safety top of mind for voters in Saint Paul. Additionally, voters were concerned about issues like homelessness, a possible recession, and the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.^[5]

Carter campaigned on achievements like an initiative to provide newborns with a college savings account,^[6]^[5] a pilot program that distributed guaranteed income for some low-income families,^[5] and rethinking public safety.^[6] Despite entering the race unopposed, Carter was facing several opponents by the close of the filing deadline on August 10, 2021.^[7]

In total, Carter faced seven challengers, including: Paul Langenfeld, vice president of the Board of Directors of Highland District Council^[8] and founder of a non-profit that caters to people with disabilities;^[9] Dino Guerin, former St. Paul District Fire Chief St. Paul City Councilman and Ramsey County commissioner;^[7] Dora Jones-Robinson, the executive director of Mentoring Young Adults and founder of Guns Down St. Paul;^[7] Miki Frost, father of five and founder of "Truce Center";^[7] Scott Wergin, a contractor;^[7] Bill Hosko, a downtown coffee shop proprietor art gallery owner and architectural illustrator;^[7] and Abu Nayeem, a data analyst who had previously run for St. Paul City Council in 2019.^[7]

Most of Carter's opponents supported lowering crime rates^[7] and implementing better social systems in the city of St. Paul.^[7]

Carter's opponents failed to match him in endorsements—the mayor won the Saint Paul Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party's endorsement on July 18, 2021,^[10] as well as endorsements from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flannagan—but Paul Langenfeld was able to self-finance^[7] his campaign to match Mayor Carter's.^[7]

Candidates

Declared

Melvin Carter III, incumbent mayor (DFL)^[11]^[3]
Miki Frost, mentor for troubled youth (Independent)^[7]
Dino Guerin, investigative assistant at the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department, former Ramsey County commissioner, former Saint Paul District Fire Chief, and former city councillor^[7]
Bill Hosko, artist, cafe owner, and perennial candidate^[11]^[3]
Dora Jones-Robinson, gun control activist^[11]^[3]
Paul Langenfeld, personal care attendant and former vice president of the Highland Park district council^[3]^[7]
Abu Nayeem, data analyst and community organizer^[7]
Scott Evans Wergin, biochemist^[3]

Declined

Pat Harris, former city councillor and candidate for mayor in 2017 (DFL) (endorsed Carter)^[11]

Endorsements

Melvin Carter III (DFL)

State officials

City officials

Pat Harris, former member of Saint Paul City Council and candidate for mayor in 2017^[11]

Labor unions

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers^[11]
North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters^[11]
SEIU Minnesota ^[14]
AFSCME Council 5 ^[15]
Saint Paul Firefighters IAFF Local 21 ^[16]

Political parties

St. Paul DFL^[17]

Publications

The Star Tribune ^[18]

Results

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic (DFL)	Melvin Carter III (incumbent)	36,426	61.63
	Nonpartisan	Dino Guerin	7,454	12.61
	Nonpartisan	Paul Langenfeld	5,298	8.96
	Nonpartisan	Bill Hosko	3,423	5.79
	Nonpartisan	Dora Jones-Robinson	2,357	3.99
	Nonpartisan	Miki Frost	2,069	3.50
	Nonpartisan	Abu Nayeem	1,516	2.57
	Nonpartisan	Scott Evans Wergin	355	0.60
	Write-in		205	0.35
Total votes			59,103	100.00

Notes

References

^ Ramsey County (June 10, 2015). "Ranked Voting". Retrieved July 31, 2021.
^ "St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter cruises toward second term despite criticism about crime and policing". Star Tribune.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, challengers file for mayor". July 27, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Index". Election Results. November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter announces bid for re-election". Twin Cities. January 26, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "'Our biggest competition is apathy': a Q&A with St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter". MinnPost. September 17, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o "They're off to the races: Melvin Carter faces seven colorful, feisty, underfunded challengers for St. Paul mayor". August 15, 2021.
^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
^ Gayles, Jia. "Paul Langenfeld". Points of Light. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
^ "I am honored to be endorsed by our @MinnesotaDFL party, and I want to commemorate the Saint Paul DFL for executing a smooth virtual convention process even amid the compound crises we've faced this past year. Let's use this momentum to continue building our #RunSTP community". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved October 3, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Melvin Carter re-election kickoff pledges to be 'strong force for good in our city,' while challengers eye the field". February 23, 2021.
^ "Walz Endorses Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey For Re-Election, Melvin Carter For St. Paul". July 2, 2021.
^ "Flannagan Endorses Melvin Carter For St. Paul". August 11, 2021.
^ "SEIU MN Endorses Melvin Carter For St. Paul". February 5, 2021.
^ "Unions endorse Melvin Carter For St. Paul". July 17, 2021.
^ "Saint Paul Firefighters endorse Melvin Carter For St. Paul". March 15, 2021.
^ "St. Paul DFL endorses Carter for mayor, three first-time candidates for school board". July 23, 2021.
^ "Depend on Carter to Guide St. Paul". October 16, 2021.

[1] Ramsey County (June 10, 2015). "Ranked Voting". Retrieved July 31, 2021.

[2] "St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter cruises toward second term despite criticism about crime and policing". Star Tribune.

[file-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, challengers file for mayor". July 27, 2021.

[Election_Results_2021-4] "Index". Election Results. November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.

[:0-5] "St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter announces bid for re-election". Twin Cities. January 26, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2023.

[:1-6] "'Our biggest competition is apathy': a Q&A with St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter". MinnPost. September 17, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2023.

[feisty-7] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o "They're off to the races: Melvin Carter faces seven colorful, feisty, underfunded challengers for St. Paul mayor". August 15, 2021.

[8] "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved October 3, 2023.

[9] Gayles, Jia. "Paul Langenfeld". Points of Light. Retrieved October 3, 2023.

[10] "I am honored to be endorsed by our @MinnesotaDFL party, and I want to commemorate the Saint Paul DFL for executing a smooth virtual convention process even amid the compound crises we've faced this past year. Let's use this momentum to continue building our #RunSTP community". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved October 3, 2023.

[kickoff-11] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Melvin Carter re-election kickoff pledges to be 'strong force for good in our city,' while challengers eye the field". February 23, 2021.

[12] "Walz Endorses Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey For Re-Election, Melvin Carter For St. Paul". July 2, 2021.

[13] "Flannagan Endorses Melvin Carter For St. Paul". August 11, 2021.

[14] "SEIU MN Endorses Melvin Carter For St. Paul". February 5, 2021.

[15] "Unions endorse Melvin Carter For St. Paul". July 17, 2021.

[16] "Saint Paul Firefighters endorse Melvin Carter For St. Paul". March 15, 2021.

[17] "St. Paul DFL endorses Carter for mayor, three first-time candidates for school board". July 23, 2021.

[18] "Depend on Carter to Guide St. Paul". October 16, 2021.

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2021 Saint Paul mayoral election