Results of the 9 August Primary for Seats on the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education >>>>> Voters Should Now Turn Their Attention to the General Election in November, Working Energetically to Elect Sonya Emerick and Lisa Skjefte for the Open At-Large Seats; and Laurelle Myhra in District 5

As is all too often the case, the DFL-endorsed candidates were the top vote-getters in yesterday's (Tuesday, 9 August 2022) primary for the contested open seats on the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) Board of Education.  Remembering that in MPS Board of Education districts 1 and 3 Abdul Abdi (a late entry who did not seek endorsement from the DFL) and Fathia Feerayarre (endorsed by the DFL) were respectively the lone candidates for those seats, voters did have the opportunity to select candidates to compete in the general November election for two at-large Minneapolis school board seats and the District 5 seat.

The following gives the results for those contested seats  >>>>>

At-Large                             

Kerry Jo Felder     30,593 votes (31.25%)      DFL-endorsed

Collin Beachy         25,199 votes (25.74%)      DFL-endorsed

Sonya Emerick       18,464 votes (18.86%)

Lisa Skejefte            9,013 votes  (9.21%)

Jaton White             8,901 votes  (9.09%)

Harvey Meyer         5,720 votes  (5.84%)

District 5                             

Lori Norvell                          8,715 votes (57.96%)     DFL-endorsed

Laurelle Myhra                    2,834 votes (18.85%)      

Elena Condos                       1,912 votes (12.27%)

Leslie Haugland-Smith       1,575 votes  (10.47%)

Readers should remember that I am a leftist activist who typically holds his nose and votes for DFL candidates.  But the DFL (for readers in other nations or states other than Minnesota, know that DFL stands for Democratic-Farmer-Labor and is essentially the Democratic Party in Minnesota) has a close relationship with the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT), which as good unions do advocates effectively for teacher wages and working conditions but opposes changes that would result in improved curriculum and teacher quality.  Thus, progressives must not think simplistically;  they should go against their general inclination and strongly consider casting their votes for MPS Board of Education candidates other than those endorsed by the DFL.

In the two races for which the results are given above, Sonya Emerick and Lisa Skjefte offered the best options in the at-large contests.  Emerick is an MPS parent of a child with special needs and a passionate advocate for academically substantive education for young people of all demographic groups.  Skjefte, vice president of community engagement for the Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center, has had multiple community involvements and manifests skill in uniting people of varying perspectives for mutually beneficial outcomes.  Emerick ran a very strong race for a candidate running without the enormous financial advantage that comes with the backing of the DFL/MFT cohort.  Lisa Skjefte just managed to garner more votes than Jaton White.  But since the top four vote-getters will now be eligible to contest for the two open at-large seats in November, both Emerick and Skjefte have a chance, with a properly awakened electorate, to gain seats on the MPS Board of Education when new members are seated in January 2023.  

Of the candidates for the District 5 seat, Elena Condos was the best qualified candidate.  Condos holds an undergraduate degree in political science and an MBA;  she has accumulated impressive experiences in the corporate and nonprofit spheres, has volunteered for multiple community organizations (including MPS), and is a board member of the education nonprofit African Connections with demonstrated commitment to educational equity.  But Condos ran third in the primary, ending hopes of continuing to run in November. 

Leslie Haugland-Smith adopted a low profile, offered little information in support of her candidacy, and in fact ran last and is now eliminated as a candidate for November.

The DFL endorsed candidate, Norvell is not well-positioned to advocate for systemic overhaul.  Laurelle Myhra, a member of the Red Lake Band of Ojibwe, has training and personal experiences supportive of her advocacy for racial equity;  she ran second to Norvell and thus qualifies to run against the latter in November.  

Enlightened voters will now begin to work vigorously for Sonya Emerick and Lisa Skjefte in their quest for the two open seats on the MPS Board of Education in the November general election;  and work with like energy for Laurelle Myhra as she seeks the open seat in District 5.