Elections in Minneapolis are officially nonpartisan, but the Minneapolis City Charter allows mayoral and city council candidates to choose a party label to appear below their name on the official ballot. Ballotpedia includes candidates' party or principle to best reflect what voters will see on their ballot.[1]
At the time of her 2017 run for city council, Spann was the executive director of Jordan Area Community Council. Her experience also includes work for the Jeremiah Program, NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center, and the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center.[2]
General election for Minneapolis City Council Ward 5
The ranked-choice voting election was won by Jeremiah Ellison in round 3 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.
Undeclared Write-insUndeclared write-in candidates may advance past the first round in some ranked-choice elections. If the official source reports write-in votes by candidate name, Ballotpedia displays them alongside the ballot-qualified candidates. However, if write-in votes are reported without a name, they will instead be included in the total write-in votes figure in Round 1. Please consult the official elections source for more details about unnamed write-in candidate vote totals past Round 1.
0.1
7
0
Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source
Total votes: 5,485
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Minneapolis, Minnesota, held a general election for mayor, all 13 seats on the city council, both elected members of the board of estimate and taxation, and all nine members of the park and recreation board on November 7, 2017. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was August 15, 2017.
Incumbents ran for re-election to all but two of the city council seats. Ward 3 Councilman Jacob Frey filed to run for mayor instead, and Ward 8 Councilwoman Elizabeth Glidden opted not to run for re-election.[3]
Minneapolis City Council Ward 5, 2017, Round 2
Candidate
Vote %
Votes
Transfer
Blong Yang (i)
43.3%
1,769
152
Jeremiah Ellison - Winner
56.7%
2,313
326
Cathy Spann - Eliminated
0%
0
−159
Raeisha Williams - Eliminated
0%
0
−445
Undeclared Write-ins - Eliminated
0%
0
−8
Exhausted
134
134
Total Votes
4,216
0
Note: Negative numbers in the transfer total are due to exhaustion by overvotes.
Legend: Eliminated in current round Most votes Lost
This is the first round of voting. To view subsequent rounds, click the [show] button next to that round.
Minneapolis City Council Ward 5, 2017, Round 1
Candidate
Vote %
Votes
Transfer
Blong Yang (i)
38.4%
1,617
Jeremiah Ellison - Most votes
47.1%
1,987
Cathy Spann
3.8%
159
Raeisha Williams
10.6%
445
Undeclared Write-ins
0.2%
8
Exhausted
0
0
Total Votes
4,216
0
Note: Negative numbers in the transfer total are due to exhaustion by overvotes.
Click here to view an archived version of Spann's campaign website.
2017
Spann's campaign website highlighted the following issues:
“
Education
Cathy has worked with community block club leaders to implement an ESL class for East African residents of the Jordan neighborhood. She supports the Mn. Dept of Education Scholarships program that offers up $7500 for families to access high quality early childhood education programs for 3 and 4 year old children with high needs to improve school readiness.
Housing
Ward 5 has many vacant lots and vacant buildings. Under Cathy’s leadership at the Jordan Area Community Council Cathy encourages and invites many private developers to attend housing meetings and share their vision of development. Through this effort the community now has the Commonbond affordable housing development the West Broadway Crescent and the housing development Broadway Flats at Broadway & Penn. Cathy has worked with developers to identify and secure funding for projects. DEED just awarded $1 million in redevelopment grants. Cathy supports the City’s $1.5 million effort to reduce the vacant lots and homes but more funding is needed. Cathy will work to increase the funding and will work with the housing development community to identify a designated funding source to create a permanent Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
Crime and Safety
By August 2016, the Jordan neighborhood had the highest crime rate of all the northside neighborhoods. In 2016, 605 crimes had occurred in Jordan, Near North – 647, Willard Hay – 502, Hawthorne 463. Crimes ranging from Homicide, rape, robbery, agg. assault, burglary, etc. Cathy’s gas meter was shot out in July and she could have died from the gas leak. You can hear gun shots on a daily basis, innocent children and adults are being killed. Cathy created the Take A Stand/Cease Fire and restarted the Jordan Neighborhood Safety Patrol to start walking the neighborhood weekly. As a council member, Cathy will use her experience to work with the neighborhoods and the police department to: address Hot Spots on the northside, address gang violence, work within the city with projects such as GVI – Group Violence Intervention to ensure and monitor if funds are being allocated to the Northside, etc. Crime is a public health issue, a civil rights issue and a human rights issue. We should have a right and expectation to be safe in our homes and on our streets.
Employment
Under Cathy’s leadership Appetite for Change was able to incubate their business as it prepared to move to a brick and mortar storefront on W. Broadway. Cathy developed a partnership with the Neighborhood Development Center and created an 11 week entrepreneur training program. The program has provided training to northside entreprenuers. Recently a graduate of the program received a $65,000 loan towards their business. Cathy employs Step-up youth, ages 14-15 yrs old, during the summer to work in her office. DEED reports there are 97,400 job vacancies. As the 5th Ward Council Member, Cathy plans to work with Commissioner Shawnterra Hardy to deploy strategies and training opportunities that match Northside residents with these jobs.
Transportation
Cathy is a bus rider. The house Transportation Omnibus Bill (HF 861) proposes to drastically cut funding for Metro Transit: bus, light rail and metro mobility services for the elderly and disabled. As council member, Cathy will fight any effort by the Legislature of the Met Council to cut funds and will work to increase public transit opportunities in our City. Cathy has secured funding thru Metro Transit for the Better Bus Stop Project to host pop up events at Hot Spot areas in North Minneapolis that also had high ridership and surveyed 475 people regarding their ridership experience.
Environment
Currently the issue of Northern Metal, the largest polluter in north Minneapolis, is being addressed. There will be a financial settlement as well. As Council member Cathy will work with the State and use those funds to assist in addressing the health concerns and needs of the residents who have been impacted by the pollution.
Youth Initiatives
Cathy has worked with the Jerry Gamble Boys and Girls club and the Minnesota Internship Center to host events and this is the 5th year JACC has been approved to be a Step up employer. Cathy was the Program Director at Avenues for Homeless Youth providing shelter for 14-21 year old youth and young adults. Cathy collaborated with community partners such as the Bridge and Youth Link to address issues and concerns of youth. Cathy has a track record in providing job and training opportunities for youth in our City as well as experience in providing housing and services to homeless youth.[4]
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