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Clint Conner
Clint Conner (Democratic Party) ran for election for Mayor of Minneapolis in Minnesota. He lost in the general election on November 2, 2021.
Conner completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.
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]
Biography
Clint Conner was born in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan in 1997 and a law degree from the University of North Carolina in 2003. His career experience includes working as a lawyer. He previously worked as an engineer at Bell Labs. As of September 2021, Conner served on the board at Global Minnesota.[2]
Elections
2021
See also: Mayoral election in Minneapolis, Minnesota (2021)
General election
General election for Mayor of Minneapolis
The ranked-choice voting election was won by Jacob Frey in round 2 . 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.
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Total votes: 143,974 |
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 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Campaign finance
Endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.
Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.
| Noteworthy endorsements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Frey (D) | Knuth (D) | Nezhad (D) |
| Elected officials | |||
| Gov. Tim Walz (D) | ✔ | ||
| Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) | ✔ | ||
| Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)[3] | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) | ✔ | ||
| Minneapolis City Councilor Lisa Bender | ✔ | ||
| Minneapolis City Councilor Steve Fletcher (D) | ✔ | ||
| Minneapolis City Councilor Jeremy Schroeder (D) | ✔ | ||
| State Sen. Erin Murphy (D) | ✔ | ||
| Individuals | |||
| Former Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles-Belton | ✔ | ||
| Former state Rep. Jean Wagenius (D) | ✔ | ||
| Organizations | |||
| AFSCME Council 5 | ✔ | ||
| IUPAT DC 82 | ✔ | ||
| Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council | ✔ | ||
| Minneapolis Firefighters Local 82 | ✔ | ||
| SEIU MN State Council | ✔ | ||
| Teamsters Joint Council 32 | ✔ | ||
| TakeAction MN | ✔ | ||
| MN 350 Action | ✔ | ||
| Minnesota DFL Environmental Caucus | ✔ | ||
| OutFront Minnesota Action (2nd rank choice) | ✔ | ||
| Sierra Club Minneapolis Political Committee | ✔ | ||
| OutFront Minnesota Action (1st rank choice) | ✔ | ||
| Run For Something 2021 | ✔ | ||
| Twin Cities DSA | ✔ | ||
Campaign themes
2021
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Clint Conner completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Conner's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I love technology and efficiency, so I became an engineer. I love great ideas and to debate issues, so I went to law school and became a patent litigator. I love to sweat, so I took up boxing. And I absolutely love Minneapolis, and all of its multi-cultural community, so I am running to be Minneapolis’s next mayor.
I am running because we cannot afford another four years of Jacob Frey’s leadership. I am running because we need:
- SAFE STREETS - Stable, affordable, and liveable housing for all - Small business boom
I am running because I have the courage, experience, and skills to lead this city on a march straight into the headwinds – to tackle the most challenging issues our city has faced.
Being a mayor in good times might be easy, but leading us back to good times takes hard work and a commitment to being out in front of the issues and on the front lines. No one will outwork me.
- SAFE STREETS
- Stable, affordable, and livable housing for all
- Small business boom
My administration would involve community leaders and neighborhood organizations from the neighborhoods that would be directly affected by proposed development in the front end of all discussions with developers regarding new developments around the city. And we would formally address their concerns and implement their ideas. We would not proceed with development before getting buy-in. This way, we can bring change the right way and achieve win-win solutions for all involved.
- Priority relative to other potential projects
- What communities within the city will benefit (projects that directly benefit all communities within the city get top priority and projects that primarily directly benefit BIPOC or disadvantaged communities get second priority)
- Cost-benefit analysis (we would compare impact on quality of life and productivity to costs)
Technology is the key. I have been focused on science and technology my entire life. I graduated from the University of Michigan with an engineering degree, worked for the company that invented the transistor, and then went back to law school to become a patent litigator. In my seventeen years in law, I represented some of the biggest names in technology, and handled matters relating to solar technology and wind turbines.
If I am elected mayor, we will take bold action to fully convert our public transit to green technology, work with industry to make battery-captured solar technology and geothermal retrofitting affordable for individual homes and buildings throughout the city.
We will convene experts in climate change and technology and work with mayors of climate-leading cities and industry leaders to identify clear areas for improvement. We will push for creative ways to shift to complete reliance on solar, geothermal, and biomass-fired technologies.
I would join with other mayors for a strength-in-numbers push for federal funding to ensure that we are able to subsidize the implementation of efficiency retrofits for residents for whom a retrofit would be unaffordable. Additionally, we could bid out large-scale contracts to technology providers that decrease the overall cost and shift costs away from those who would be unable to afford a retrofit.
I would drive the agenda on the board of Minneapolis’ first-in-the-nation clean energy partnership with Xcel and Centerpoint. I would determine whether the utility companies are actually on track to meet the goals, push for any necessary corrective action immediately, and use my position and access to media to create additional pressure as necessary
I am not in favor of ballot question number 2, which would dismantle the police department, because (1) there is no plan for the police department’s replacement; (2) the vague “if necessary” condition would very likely be the focus of frequent political fighting and lawsuits regarding proper policing staffing levels; (3) the proposal would take power away from the mayor, who currently has “complete power over the establishment, maintenance and command of the police department”; and (4) it would remove the chief of police from the City Charter and I think Chief Arradondo is the best chief of police in America for dealing with the issues we face
I also disagree with our current mayor who has said he is in favor of removing the minimum police requirement in our City Charter, regardless of whether ballot question 2 passes. Uncertainty about future numbers harms our ability to recruit and retain. Indeed, I think we need more good police than the current minimum number under the charter, which is 888.
Since filing my candidacy on August 9, I have had the privilege of meeting thousands of Minneapolitans on the campaign trail. Your questions and concerns are centered around public safety and most of you think things are spiraling out of control.
We need the Minneapolis Police Department to help keep us safe, and we need a mayor who will put in the work and commitment to make the police department better. We need a leader who will work every day to restore faith and trust in the department. We need a leader who knows that this work will be an ongoing process that requires partnership and buy-in from individuals and communities across our city.
Our police should stop crime from happening, be immediately responsive to serious crimes that have already occurred, promptly investigate and solve crimes, and arrest those responsible. Our police should also be out in our community non-stop developing relationships and trust with those they serve. These things are not currently happening.
We are currently failing on public safety. More than 200 police officers have left over the last several months and violent crime is skyrocketing. At least 30 of our city’s children had been shot as of September and the number of gunshot victims jumped 90% over last year (as of June). At the same time, far fewer arrests are being made and 88% of crimes are going unsolved.
I have learned there is widespread confusion about who has responsibility regarding the police. Many are surprised to learn our City Charter gives the mayor “complete power over the establishment, maintenance, and command of the police department.” This includes day-to-day supervision and the responsibility to “make all rules and regulations” and to “enforce general and special orders necessary to operating the police department.”
I have heard some people say the increase in violent crime is not limited to Minneapolis. But few places have experienced the spike in violent crime and the brazen lawlessness we are seeing here. Look next door. Our neighbor St. Paul is roughly three-quarters the size of Minneapolis and yet its homicide rate this year (29) is less than half of Minneapolis’s rate (72).
Many people think that Minneapolis has a weak mayoral system. That is absolutely not true regarding policing. In fact, the Charter uses the term “complete power” only once, to characterize the mayor’s responsibility for police department operations.
I am running for mayor because we need bold leadership. We need a buck-stops-here mayor who will acknowledge and fully exercise his or her responsibility and authority to keep Minneapolis safe. I am the father of three and I want them to be safe here in our city.
If I am elected mayor, together we will change the narrative immediately. We will inspire our good police officers to remain with us. We will build an unprecedented level of community-centered programs and relationships to build trust. We will implement a service-first mentality across the department. And we will recruit the next generation of diversity-minded people who want to be a part of our city.
My plans include:
- Resetting the narrative about our good police by sharing their stories with the public so our officers know their service is appreciated and our community understands their sacrifice and dedication to safety.
- Identifying and promoting the best civil servants - those who believe in the beauty of multiculturalism and our city - and create an environment in which they thrive.
- Working with Chief Arradondo and the MPD community to find creative ways to incentivize and recruit candidates who embody the values we share.
- Focusing on building an unprecedented level of community-centered programs and relationships.
- Changing our approach to policing from an offensive mentality to a proactive, service-based mentality while building new community-centered programs.
- Involving mental health and other professionals trained in de-escalation in all appropriate situations.
- Mandating regular counseling for all officers to remove stigma and maintain health and readiness of our department.
- Communicating frequently with Minneapolis residents about current efforts and plans.
- Bringing detrimental practices and mindsets to light so they can be addressed.
The system would have an unprecedented level of community-centered programs built on personal relationships with the community. I would establish satellite mayoral offices in the 3rd and 4th precinct police stations and commit to spending half of my office time in those locations to facilitate community interaction and development of community-based relationships.
The system would be built around a proactive, service-based mentality versus an offensive mentality and the system would reward those who follow best practices and sideline those who get in the way of best practices.
I had the great honor of getting to know Mr. Mondale in his final years while working with him at the same law firm. I worked with him on social causes, like convincing Congress not to cut funding for the Legal Services Corporation ("LSC"), which is a federal nonprofit that Mr. Mondale helped create while a U.S. Senator as lead author of the charter bill. LSC helps provide high-quality legal assistance to nearly 2 million Americans, including some 45,000 Minnesotans annually. Our efforts were intended to convince Congress to resist the Trump Administration's attempt to cut LSC's funding. Congress ultimately voted to maintain funding for LSC.
Also, for the past several years, I emceed the Japan America Society of Minnesota’s Mondale Gala, which raises money to help Minnesota kids study in Japan. I always had a sense of awe when speaking in front of Mr. Mondale, introducing him, and passing the mic to him for his award announcement.
The things that stood out most about him to me were his continued compassion for all people, his endless curiosity about global and local events, his strong desire to make a positive impact, and his humility. He was one of the most humble people I have ever met.
Buck-stops-here leadership.
Do-the-right-thing mentality.
Integrity.
Humility.
Honesty.
Sincerity.
Persistence.
Ability to acknowledge reality and mistakes.
Cheerleader for good.
Natural instinct to share credit.
If a football win does not qualify as an "historical event," the first historical event that I remember is unfortunately the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. I remember watching the news in school.
My first job as an "employee" was washing dishes and delivering pizza at a busy mom-and-pop business, in high school. I held this job before going to college.
My first career-type job was as an engineer for Bell Labs aka Lucent, the company that invented the transistor (now part of Nokia). I held this job for three years, before going to law school.
Our City Charter gives the mayor “complete power over the establishment, maintenance, and command of the police department.” This includes day-to-day supervision and the responsibility to “make all rules and regulations” and to “enforce general and special orders necessary to operating the police department.”
Many people think that Minneapolis has a weak mayoral system. That is absolutely not true regarding policing. In fact, the Charter uses the term “complete power” only once, to characterize the mayor’s responsibility for police department operations.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Note: Community Questions were submitted by the public and chosen for inclusion by a volunteer advisory board. The chosen questions were modified by staff to adhere to Ballotpedia’s neutrality standards. To learn more about Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Expansion Project, click here.
Campaign website
Clint Conner's campaign website stated the following.
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Safe streets The safety and well-being of every Minneapolitan and every visitor to our city – no matter who they are – is my top priority as Mayor. We need the Minneapolis Police Department to help keep us safe, and we need a Mayor who will make the police department better. We need a leader who will work every day to restore faith and trust in the department. We need a leader who knows that this work will be an ongoing process that requires partnership and buy-in from individuals and communities across our city. I have heard some people make the excuse that the Mayor lacks the power to change how our police force operates. That is just plain wrong. Our City Charter vests all authority for the establishment, maintenance, appointment, removal, discipline, control, and supervision of the police force in the Mayor, subject to certain limitations. There is no time for nibbling around the edges with words on paper. Our force is down nearly 200 officers on Jacob Frey’s watch. We need a Mayor who will immediately reset the narrative so that our police know their service is appreciated. As the leader of the police force, I will roll up my sleeves, dig in, and create an environment in which our best civil servants succeed. I will do this side-by-side with Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, the best chief of police in the country for dealing with the issues before us. At the same time, we need a Mayor who will hold our police to a high level of professionalism and accountability, who will not tolerate systemic racism, and who will uproot and expose problems for the community to see. We need a Mayor who does not tolerate bullies, whether they are on the street or in the police force. I have been standing up to bullies my entire life, from the bully who sent me to the emergency room in middle school to the bully who came to my neighborhood in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder armed with knives and a hammer. With strong leadership we will stand up to them together. As Mayor, I am committed to:
With my leadership and bold action, we can make this plan a reality. Stable housing Home is the foundation for everything. Yet current leadership is not doing enough to provide stable, affordable, and livable housing for all. All Minneapolitans deserve stable housing. I know that far too many of our neighbors are living in desperation because they don’t have a place they can call home, or they are one step away from homelessness every month. Many more have homes they cannot trust - because of dangerous living conditions or unexpected changes in rental terms. Minneapolis needs more stable, truly affordable housing. But stability and affordability are meaningless when housing is uninhabitable. We cannot pledge to provide affordable housing while ignoring powerful landlords who disregard city code and the well-being of their tenants. Too many Minneapolitans are paying rent to live in substandard housing. While most landlords do the right thing, providing essential and safe housing opportunities for our residents, I have seen firsthand living conditions involving mold and infestations that are making Minneapolis children and their families seriously ill. As Mayor, I am committed to bringing safe, stable, and livable housing to all Minneapolitans. Together, we will:
Small business boom Small businesses are vital to the future of Minneapolis. These businesses need a major boost, and quickly. Small businesses are critically important to the economic health of our minority and immigrant communities and they facilitate cultural interconnectedness in our city. Moreover, the health of the Twin Cities area’s Fortune 500 businesses is inextricably linked to the health of our small business community. As Senator Paul Wellstone famously said, “we all do better when we all do better.” As Mayor, I am committed to facilitating a small business boom. Together, we will:
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See also
2021 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ City of Minneapolis, "Common questions about filing for office," accessed September 10, 2025
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 29, 2021.
- ↑ Patch.com, "Rep. Ilhan Omar Announces Endorsements In Minneapolis Mayor Race," October 20, 2021
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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