6 September 2023
Several candidate forums will be held in the coming weeks as organizations and voters try to learn more about the many names that will be on November ballots for St. Paul city council and school board.
Thirty candidates have lined up for the seven council seats, and there will be no incumbent in four of those races.
That means a majority of the city council will turn over as the body grapples with such issues as rent control and potential sales tax increases for major road and park projects and subsidies for childcare providers — not to mention the implementation of new state marijuana laws, housing density, crime and the future of downtown in an era of remote work.
Meanwhile, seven candidates — but just two incumbents — are running for four seats on the St. Paul school board.
The election is Nov. 7, and there will not be a political primary to narrow the field for either the council or school board.
The candidate forums are moderated but typically lack much direct back-and-forth between candidates as in a formal parliamentary debate.
Historic preservation
This first candidate forum, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday at Waldmann Brewery, is being hosted by the St. Paul Historic Preservation Political Committee, which invited the council candidates for Wards 2, 3 and 6 to participate. Candidates for Wards 1, 4, 5 and 7 will be at the Rondo Community Library from 6 to 7:45 p.m. Monday.
Candidates “will be asked questions about their stands on preserving historic structures and features in the city,” according to an announcement from committee secretary-treasurer Paul Hardt. “They will also be asked about the role they think historic preservation plays in the economic development of the city. Questions will be posed by leaders of the Political Committee, and members of the audience will also be able to pose questions.”
To participate, candidates must have a campaign finance report on file with Ramsey County Elections.
League of Women Voters candidate forums
The St. Paul Neighborhood Network, which broadcasts cable access content on Comcast Channel 19, will broadcast and livestream four League of Women Voters candidate forums next week from its Vandalia Street studio:
• Ward 2, 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday
• Ward 7, 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13
• Ward 4, 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14
• Ward 6, 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14
The forums will air live at youtube.com/myspnn.
The League of Women Voters is hosting additional forums later in the month at different locations:
• School board, 7-8:30 p.m. Sept. 18, from the SPNN studio
• Ward 3, 7-8:30 p.m. Sept. 21, Highland Park Community Center
• Ward 5, 6-7:30 p.m. Sept. 22, Dock and Paddle at Como Lakeside Pavilion
• Ward 1, 7-8:30 p.m. Sept. 28, Hallie Q. Brown Community Center
Besides the school board and council races, St. Paul voters on Nov. 7 will decide whether the city should raise the sales tax by a percentage point to raise nearly $1 billion for parks and roads over the course of 20 years.
A full list of candidates is online at tinyurl.com/STPCandidates2023.
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