Lori Saroya
Candidate, Blaine City Council Ward 1
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Lori Saroya ran for election to the Blaine City Council Ward 1 in Minnesota. She was on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024.[source]
Saroya completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
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Biography
Lori Saroya provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 7, 2024:
- Bachelor's: St. Catherine University
- J.D.: Mitchell Hamline School of Law
- Gender: Female
- Profession: Strategic Planning & Compliance Nonprofit Consultant
- Prior offices held:
- Blaine City Council Ward 1 (2022-Prsnt)
- Incumbent officeholder: Yes
- Campaign slogan: Connected to Community, Driven by Results
- Campaign website
- Campaign Facebook
- Campaign Instagram
Elections
General election
Election results
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Saroya in this election.
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Lori Saroya completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Saroya's responses.
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I bring a unique perspective shaped by my background as the daughter of immigrants, nearly 20 years of community service and nonprofit leadership experience, and a law degree. I spent 7 years on the Blaine Charter Commission and now almost 4 years on the Blaine City Council. Blaine has been my home for 20 years with my husband and three children and I’m deeply committed to this community. I love living in Ward 1 because it is the heart and soul of Blaine. There is so much history here and I have met so many good, genuine people. I am committed to creating a Blaine that puts residents first.
- Improving Infrastructure: I will insure our roads, public spaces, and utilities are well-maintained and modernized.
- Enhancing Public Safety: I will work with local law enforcement and community organizations to keep Blaine safe.
- Smart Development: I will promote sustainable and strategic growth that benefits all residents, speaking up especially for Ward 1 residents.
We have made significant progress and brought unprecedented government accountability and transparency to Blaine, but there is still much to do. Ethics, transparency, and accountability are vitally important to me. I am committed to ensuring that our growth benefits all community members and that our city remains a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. I will do this by continuing to prioritize the needs and voices of all Blaine residents and calling for transparency each step of the way.
I look up to my mom. She is the kindest, most genuine person I know. As a kid we would have candidates knock on our door and my mom would invite them inside for tea and offer them words of encouragement- regardless of political views.
As an elected official, I lead with ethics, integrity, and character. That means speaking the truth and standing up for what is right, even when it’s hard. I am an advocate for Ward 1 and the strongest voice for Ward 1 residents.
My very first job was at a youth baseball concession stand when I was in high school. I worked there with my best friend during the summer. I just remember it being very hot and spending all the money I made on pop and candy purchases at the concession stand.
The Fight Song (Raef version)
One of my goals as a city councilmember is to foster community engagement by encouraging residents to participate in local government and decision-making processes. I believe if someone is passionate about their community, there is a place for them to be involved.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 110, Run For Something, Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS®, SEIU MN State Council, Teamsters Joint Council 32 DRIVE, Women Winning
My background is in strategic development and those skills, along with my resident-first and results-oriented approach, have been instrumental in challenging how we do business at city hall. When the city changed the rules on public input, closed the public comment email, and tried to eliminate open forum, I was the only councilmember to stand up for residents’ free speech rights. When the city lost $1.5 million to a scam, I was the only councilmember to vote for an independent investigation into the city's processes that allowed that to happen, as well as the only no vote against approving a large pay raise for the city manager amidst this financial loss. Lastly, I am the only councilmember who doesn't accept campaign donations from developers. I don't accept those donations so that I don't have any conflict when I vote on behalf of my constituents.
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.
See also
External links
