Jim Engelking (St. Louis Park City Council Ward 2, Minnesota, candidate 2025)

Jim Engelking

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Nonpartisan

Candidate, St. Louis Park City Council Ward 2

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 4, 2025

Personal

Profession

Retired

Contact

Campaign website

Jim Engelking ran for election to the St. Louis Park City Council Ward 2 in Minnesota. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source]

Engelking completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Jim Engelking provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 6, 2025:

• Bachelor's: University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
• Gender: Male
• Profession: Retired
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign website

Elections

General election

General election for St. Louis Park City Council Ward 2

Jim Engelking ran in the general election for St. Louis Park City Council Ward 2 on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Jim Engelking (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Engelking in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jim Engelking completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Engelking's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My wife Betsy and I are Brookside residents; we have three adult children. When we moved to Saint Louis Park ten years ago, the neighborhood welcomed us. I’ve worked to give back to Saint Louis Park as President of our Brookside Neighborhood Association, as an election judge and as a volunteer and board member at STEP, our local food shelf and social service agency.

I bring a unique set of academic, professional and community experiences to the Council. I have a degree in Economics; as an executive at a local IT consulting firm, I helped organizations analyze complex systems and optimize how those systems serve stakeholders. My extensive work with community organizations in both volunteer and leadership roles informs my understanding of our neighbors’ needs.

While the Council is a part-time position, as a retiree, I have the time and energy to engage with and ensure my constituents know they are heard and seen.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Help Our Neighbors Meet Core Needs

  Part of the diversity that makes our City great is the numerous faith traditions that our residents observe. Our faith traditions all have a common tenet; an obligation to help our neighbors in need.

  As the social safety net is tattered in Washington, we need to expand and augment existing City-private partnerships to help our neighbors meet food, housing and other basic human needs.
• Preserve Affordability for Saint Louis Park Residents As we work to provide new affordable housing opportunities, we need to ensure that Saint Louis Park remains affordable for our current residents. Many of our residents, particularly those on fixed incomes, struggle to pay rising property taxes. We must aggressively manage City spending to ensure that longtime residents are able to afford to stay in their homes.
• Ensure Development Enhances Our Residential Neighborhoods When I speak with Ward 2 residents, they tell me our great neighborhoods drew them to Saint Louis Park and it's why they stay. I believe the foundation of Saint Louis Park is its strong, vibrant neighborhoods. I will work to ensure our development decisions enhance and preserve the qualities of our neighborhoods. This will significantly impact Ward 2 residents as areas adjacent to the three City rail stations are developed.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

housing affordability, transportation alternatives, creating inclusive and welcoming communities

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The City Council represents grassroots democracy and provides the services that most matter to residents.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

empathy, strong personal and professional ethics, ability to analyze and appreciation the implications of public decisions

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Meet the core needs of City residents (water, sewer, public safety, street and infrastructure maintenance) and provide additional cost-effective services and amenities to make St Louis Park a great place to live and work.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I showed up and served my constituents as well as I could.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

That's the beauty of the City Council. It is individuals serving their neighbors' interests.

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.

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Candidate

St. Louis Park City Council Ward 2

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