Ira Jourdain
Ira Jourdain is running for election to the City of Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to represent District 6 in Minnesota. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.[source]
Jourdain was a member of the Minneapolis Board of Education in Minnesota, representing District 6. He assumed office in 2017. He left office in 2025.
Biography
Jourdain was born in Red Lake, Minnesota, and is a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians (Ojibwe). Jourdain earned an associate degree in liberal arts from the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, a paralegal certificate from the Blackstone Career Institute, and a bachelor's degree in business management from Penn Foster Education.[1] His professional experience includes working as a program manager for the Minnesota Family Investment Program.[2]
Elections
2025
See also: City elections in Minneapolis, Minnesota (2025)
General election
The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.
General election for Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board District 6
Incumbent Cathy Abene and Ira Jourdain are running in the general election for Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board District 6 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Cathy Abene (Nonpartisan) | |
 | Ira Jourdain (Nonpartisan) | |
| ||||
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Endorsements
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2020
See also: Minneapolis Public Schools, Minnesota, elections (2020)
General election
General election for Minneapolis Board of Education District 6
Incumbent Ira Jourdain won election in the general election for Minneapolis Board of Education District 6 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ira Jourdain (Nonpartisan) | 98.0 | 25,060 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.0 | 520 | ||
| Total votes: 25,580 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Ira Jourdain advanced from the primary for Minneapolis Board of Education District 6.
2016
Four of the nine seats on the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education were up for general election on November 8, 2016. Incumbent Kim Ellison ran for the at-large seat, leaving her District 2 seat open for a newcomer. She faced challenger Doug Mann. The race for the open District 2 seat featured candidates Kimberly Caprini and Kerry Jo Felder. In District 4, incumbent Josh Reimnitz ran against challenger Bob Walser. In her bid for re-election in District 6, incumbent Tracine Asberry faced challenger Ira Jourdain. Ellison, Felder, Walser, and Jourdain won the election.[3][4][5][6][7]
Results
| Minneapolis Public Schools, District 6 General Election, 4-year term, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Ira Jourdain |
50.54% | 15,242 |
| Tracine Asberry Incumbent | 48.60% | 14,657 |
| Write-in votes | 0.85% | 257 |
| Total Votes | 30,156 | |
| Source: Hennepin County, "Election results," accessed December 22, 2016 | ||
Funding
Jourdain reported $7,038.61 in contributions and $4,551.90 in expenditures to the Hennepin County Elections, which left his campaign with $3,796.83 on hand in the election.[8]
Endorsements
Jourdain was endorsed by the following organizations and elected officials:[2][9]
- Minneapolis Democratic Farmer Labor Party (DFL)
- Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59
- Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation
- State Rep. Susan Allen (D-62B)
- State Rep. Karen Clark (D-62A)
- State Rep. Frank Hornstein (D-61A)
- Minneapolis City Councilmember Lisa Bender
- Minneapolis City Councilmember Linea Palmisano
- Minneapolis City Councilmember John Quincy
- Minneapolis School Board member Kim Ellison
- Minneapolis School Board member Rebecca Gagnon
Click here for a full list of Jourdain's supporters in this election.
2014
The election in Minneapolis featured five seats up for general election on November 4, 2014. The primary election was held on August 12, 2014. Incumbent Rebecca Gagnon ran against six challengers to retain her at-large seat. Two newcomers, Nelson Inz and Jay Larson, competed for the District 5 seat. District 1 incumbent Jenny Arneson and District 3 newcomer Siad Ali ran unopposed to win their seats. In addition to Arneson and Ali, Gagnon and challenger Don Samuels won the two at-large seats, and Inz won the District 5 seat.
Results
General election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Rebecca Gagnon Incumbent |
33.6% | 56,901 | |
| Nonpartisan | Don Samuels |
28.5% | 48,280 | |
| Nonpartisan | Iris Altamirano | 26.1% | 44,213 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ira Jourdain | 11.1% | 18,808 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.8% | 1,357 | |
| Total Votes | 169,559 | |||
| Source: Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, "Results for Selected Contests in School District No. 1 - Minneapolis," accessed November 5, 2014 | ||||
Primary election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Rebecca Gagnon Incumbent |
30.9% | 11,888 | |
| Nonpartisan | Don Samuels |
27.5% | 10,562 | |
| Nonpartisan | Iris Altamirano |
22.5% | 8,661 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ira Jourdain |
5.9% | 2,249 | |
| Nonpartisan | Doug Mann | 5.7% | 2,199 | |
| Nonpartisan | Soren Christian Sorensen | 4.5% | 1,727 | |
| Nonpartisan | Andrew Minck | 2.9% | 1,132 | |
| Total Votes | 38,418 | |||
| Source: Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, "Results for Selected Contests in School District No. 1 - Minneapolis," accessed August 12, 2014 | ||||
Funding
Jourdain reported $3,795.00 in contributions and $3,795.00 in expenditures during the election, according to the Hennepin County Elections office.[10]
Endorsements
Jourdain did not receive any endorsements during the election.
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
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2020
Ira Jourdain did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2016
Jourdain highlighted the following issues on his campaign website:
| “ | Equitable Funding
I believe in properly funding neighborhood schools in every part of the city, and won’t support a budget that leads to over-crowded classrooms. Parents should not have to raise outside funds to support basic school services. We need less money spent on administrators at the district office, and more resources sent to the schools in every neighborhood. Better schools in every part of the city will not only help the students, but it will also help strengthen the city. Teachers Endorsement! Thanks, Minnesota Federation of Teachers Local 59, for the Endorsement! I am proud of earning and humbly accept the support of the MFT Teachers & Educational Support Professionals. I'm looking forward to working with MPS staff and teachers towards our shared values and goals for student success. It was exciting that the MFT invited parents and delegates to their screening event this year. It is great to see the community investing in our schools! Here is a link to the candidate answers to the MFT questionnaire: http://www.mft59.org/index.php/school-board-referendum-and-elections-information/mft-2016-school-board-candidate-questionnaire Whole Child Of course our students need math, language arts, social studies and science, but the education of a child is so much more. I support educating and helping to form all aspects of our students. Our students need adequate lunch breaks and recess. Our students need access to social workers, nurses, and other support staff. Our students need time to read for enjoyment. Our students need the arts, culturally relevant curriculum, and time for real world investigation. I understand the importance of educating the whole child. Wrap Around Services My professional background is in Human Services working with families on MFIP/Public Assistance-families that face enormous odds and barriers OUTSIDE of the classroom which affects their learning INSIDE the classroom. These issues include housing-homelessness, transportation, employment, etc. I want to bring the experience that I have working with families and use that knowledge to build upon existing MPS collaborations to support these students and their families INSIDE the classroom. These are some of the multi-faceted issues causing the achievement/opportunity gap. I am committed to solving these issues by bringing my professional experience to the board. An Effective School Board and School District We need a school board that functions well. I believe our schools are not only accountable to the public, but they must also be supported and informed by the public. We must encourage our school communities to accept authentic input from parents and I will insist that the school district do the same. As a parent of students of color, I see too many of us marginalized and disregarded by MPS. Taking community engagement seriously is a strong step towards achieving racial equity. Over the last seven years as an involved parent with the Minneapolis Public Schools, I’ve seen how the administration has lost the trust of families throughout Minneapolis. We must demand the district provide more transparency and accountability in its decisionmaking, and genuinely engage the communities it serves. I support smaller classroom sizes, adequate budget to guarantee basic levels of programming for each school, and lessening the high-stakes testing atmosphere that redirects resources away from our students. Supporting Our Teachers and Staff I believe in supporting our teaching and staff because I know they work hard for our students and care deeply about them. I believe their teaching skills are currently underutilized as they are being asked to follow too many scripted tasks and timelines. We need to work with them to develop the solutions we need for our students. Strong Classrooms/Strong Community We need strong local community schools that will in turn build strong local communities. Local community schools anchor local neighborhoods that build strong ties with families, neighbors, and demonstrate a great benefit to all who live and work in these communities. As parents of elementary students who attend a K-5, Leah and I see and value the impact that our childrens' school has on the surrounding community. Promoting and Visibility There are many great things going on in our district that work and we can build on and be proud of. Some examples are the “Co-teaching” model at Lucy Laney that has shown results and the top-notch IB programs at so many of our high schools. Showcasing what works in all areas of the district makes us attractive to parents looking to educate their families. And for the families that have chosen MPS it provides insight to making sure they made the right choice in choosing MPS. Finally, for the teachers, these little celebrations show that we appreciate their hard work and skills.[11] |
” |
| —Ira Jourdain (2016)[12] | ||
See also
2025 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board District 6 |
Footnotes
- ↑ Ira Jourdain for Mpls Board of Education, "About," accessed July 11, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ira Jourdain for School Board District 6, "Biography," accessed July 11, 2016
- ↑ Minneapolis Election & Voter Services, "Candidate filings," accessed June 1, 2016
- ↑ Minneapolis Public Schools, "Minneapolis Board of Education," accessed June 1, 2016
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2016 School District Elections Guide," accessed June 1, 2016
- ↑ Southwest Journal, "All open School Board seats will be contested," June 1, 2016
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Results for Selected Contests in School District No. 1 - MINNEAPOLIS," accessed November 8, 2016
- ↑ Hennepin County Elections, "Campaign Finance: Candidates," accessed December 8, 2016
- ↑ Bright Light Small City, "Minneapolis School Board Race Takes Shape," April 11, 2016
- ↑ Hennepin County Elections, "Campaign Finance Registration & Reporting," accessed December 15, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Ira Jourdain for Mpls Board of Education, "Issues," accessed July 11, 2016
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