PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Emily Larson
Emily Larson
	Larson in 2019
39th Mayor of Duluth
	In office; January 4, 2016 – January 2, 2024
Preceded by	Don Ness
Succeeded by	Roger Reinert
Member of the Duluth City Council
	In office; January 2, 2012 – January 4, 2016
Preceded by	Jeff Anderson
Succeeded by	Elissa Hansen
Personal details
Born	1973 (age 50–51); St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Spouse	Doug Zaun
Alma mater	College of St. Scholastica (BA); University of Minnesota (MSW)

Emily Larson (born 1973) is an American politician and former mayor of Duluth, Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

Larson was elected mayor of Duluth in November 2015 and inaugurated on January 4, 2016, the first female mayor in the city's history. She won reelection in 2019. Prior to becoming mayor, she was a member of the Duluth City Council.

Life and education

Emily Larson was born and raised in St. Paul, the youngest of three children. Her mother, a poet, and her father, an information technology worker, divorced when she was 10 years old, but both later remarried.^[1] She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in social work from the College of St. Scholastica and later earned a Master's Degree from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. A graduate of the Intermedia Arts Creative Community Leadership Institute, Larson served on the advisory committee that developed the Duluth Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP).

She has worked in Duluth for CHUM, a charity assisting homeless people and people at high risk for homelessness, and as a consultant to other non-profit organizations.^[2] She owns a small business that specializes in helping non-profits.^[3]

Political career

Larson finished first in the 2011 election for an at-large city council position, and was elected president of the Duluth City Council. She served for one term until she was elected mayor of the city.^[2]

Mayor of Duluth

In November 2015, Larson won election as the first female mayor of Duluth, with almost 72% of the total votes.^[4]^[5] She succeeded popular mayor Don Ness, who in his second term held a nearly 90% approval rating.^[6] Larson was inaugurated on January 4, 2016, during a ceremony at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC).^[7]

In 2018, Larson advocated for a new city flag. She claimed a great flag would make a strong brand for the city,^[8] representing the city to its people and its people to the world.^[9] She said one of Duluth's strengths is its unique neighborhoods, but a common flag would also improve the sense of unity of residents,^[9] and she noted city flags were a part of a resurgence of city pride around the country.^[9] After an open competition, a flag committee and Mayor Larson recommended a flag to the city council based on design, public feedback and public polling.^[10] The Flag of Duluth was approved by the city council in 2019^[10]^[11] and again in 2020.^[12] The flag was first flown at city hall on June 21, 2021.^[13]

She was again reelected in 2019, this time with about 64% of the total votes.^[14]

In December 2022, Larson announced her reelection bid, making her the first Duluth mayor to run for a third term since Gary Doty in 1999.^[15]

During the November 7th, 2023 elections Larson lost her re-election bid 60-40 percent to Roger Reinert.^[16]

Personal life

She is married to Doug Zaun, co-owner of Duluth-based design firm Wagner Zaun Architecture, and together they have two sons.^[1]^[3]

Larson is an active trail runner and fitness enthusiast.^[3]

Electoral history

2011 Duluth City Councilor At-Large election^[17]
Candidates	Primary (Sep 13)		General election (Nov 8)
	Votes^A	%	Votes^A	%
Emily Larson	4,918	40.12	13,216	38.96
Linda Krug	4,860	39.65	12,186	35.92
Tim Riley	947	7.73	4,459	13.14
Chad Smith	645	5.26	3,920	11.56
Eric Edwardson	446	3.64
Gareth W. Bates	442	3.61
Write-in			142	0.42
Total	12,258	100	33,923	100

^A Voters could cast up to two votes

2015 Duluth Mayoral Election^[18]
Candidates	Primary (Sep 15)		General election (Nov 3)
	Votes	%	Votes	%
Emily Larson	5,456	67.32	15,352	71.94
Chuck Horton	1,505	18.57	5,862	27.47
Howie Hanson	732	9.03
James Mattson	117	2.18
John Socha	111	1.37
John Howard Evans	51	0.63
Thomas Cooper	45	0.56
Robert D. Schieve	27	0.33
Write-in			125	0.59
Total	8,044	100	21,339	100

2019 Duluth Mayoral Election^[14]
Candidates	Primary (Aug 13)		General election (Nov 5)
	Votes	%	Votes	%
Emily Larson	5,225	66.87	13,340	63.65
David Nolle	992	12.70	7,509	35.83
John Socha	450	5.76
Daniel Weatherly	285	3.65
Donald Raihala	220	2.82
Caleb Anderson	206	2.64
Jesse Peterson	193	2.47
Corey Ford	160	2.05
Doris Queen Lavender	83	1.06
Write-in			110	0.52
Total	7,814	100	20,959	100