Omar Fateh
Omar Fateh (Democratic Party) is a member of the Minnesota State Senate, representing District 62. He assumed office on January 5, 2021. His current term ends on January 5, 2027.
Fateh ran for election for Mayor of Minneapolis in Minnesota. He lost in the general election on November 4, 2025.
Fateh completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. 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
Omar Fateh was born in Washington, D.C., and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[2] Fateh graduated from Falls Church High School. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in public administration from George Mason University. Fateh's career experience includes working as a campaign finance analyst for the Federal Election Commission and as an academic advisor with Northern Virginia Community College.[2][3]
Committee assignments
2025-2026
Fateh was assigned to the following committees:
- Human Services Committee, Vice Chair
- Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee, Chair
- Local Government Committee
2023-2024
Fateh was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee, Chair
- Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee, Vice Chair
- Local Government Committee
2021-2022
Fateh was assigned to the following committees:
- Human Services Licensing Policy Committee (decommissioned)
- Human Services Reform Finance and Policy Committee (decommissioned)
- State Government Finance and Policy and Elections Committee (decommissioned)
- Technology and Reform Policy Committee (decommissioned), Ranking Minority Member
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2025
See also: Mayoral election in Minneapolis, Minnesota (2025)
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: 146,942 |
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 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Emily Koski (Nonpartisan)
Endorsements
Fateh received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Fateh's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here.
- U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D)
- Minnesota Association of Professional Employees
- Unite Here! Local 17 Minnesota's Hospitality Union
- Track AIPAC
- Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America
2022
See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Minnesota State Senate District 62
Incumbent Omar Fateh defeated Andrew Schmitz in the general election for Minnesota State Senate District 62 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Omar Fateh (D) | 90.3 | 24,271 |
| Andrew Schmitz (R) | 9.4 | 2,528 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 84 | ||
| Total votes: 26,883 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 62
Incumbent Omar Fateh defeated Shaun Laden in the Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 62 on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Omar Fateh | 60.7 | 7,416 |
| Shaun Laden | 39.3 | 4,811 | ||
| Total votes: 12,227 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 62
Andrew Schmitz advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 62 on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Andrew Schmitz | 100.0 | 301 | |
| Total votes: 301 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
2020
See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Minnesota State Senate District 62
Omar Fateh defeated Bruce Lundeen in the general election for Minnesota State Senate District 62 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Omar Fateh (D) | 89.0 | 33,103 |
 | Bruce Lundeen (R) | 10.6 | 3,947 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.4 | 150 | ||
| Total votes: 37,200 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 62
Omar Fateh defeated incumbent Jeff Hayden in the Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 62 on August 11, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Omar Fateh | 54.9 | 11,109 |
 | Jeff Hayden | 45.1 | 9,140 | |
| Total votes: 20,249 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 62
Bruce Lundeen advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 62 on August 11, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bruce Lundeen | 100.0 | 443 |
| Total votes: 443 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
2018
General election
General election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 62A
Hodan Hassan defeated Bruce Lundeen in the general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 62A on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Hodan Hassan (D) | 90.4 | 13,107 |
| Bruce Lundeen (R) | 8.8 | 1,281 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.8 | 113 | ||
| Total votes: 14,501 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 62A
Hodan Hassan defeated Osman Ahmed, Omar Fateh, Margarita Ortega, and Jen Kader in the Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 62A on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Hodan Hassan | 28.4 | 2,207 |
| Osman Ahmed | 20.7 | 1,607 | ||
| Omar Fateh | 20.6 | 1,602 | |
| Margarita Ortega | 19.7 | 1,531 | ||
| Jen Kader | 10.6 | 822 | ||
| Total votes: 7,769 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 62A
Bruce Lundeen advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 62A on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bruce Lundeen | 100.0 | 218 |
| Total votes: 218 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2015
The Fairfax County School Board is a 12-member board elected to serve four-year terms. Three seats are elected at large and nine seats are elected by district.[4] All 12 seats were on the ballot on November 3, 2015.
At-large incumbents Ryan McElveen, Ilryong Moon and Ted Velkoff faced Robert Copeland, Omar Fateh, Jeanette Hough, Manar Jean-Jacques, Peter Marchetti and Burnette Scarboro for three seats. While Moon and McElveen won re-election, Velkoff was defeated, placing fourth to challenger Hough.
Braddock District incumbent Megan McLaughlin, Hunter Mill District incumbent Pat Hynes and Providence District incumbent Patricia Reed faced Katherine Pettigrew, Mark Wilkinson and Dalia Palchik, respectively. Dranesville District incumbent Jane Strauss competed against challenger Peter Kurzenhauser. McLaughlin, Hynes, and Strauss won re-election; the fourth incumbent, Reed, lost to Palchik.
The races for both the Mount Vernon District and Sully District seats featured newcomers after neither incumbent filed for re-election. Karen Corbett Sanders defeated W. Anthony Stacy in the Mount Vernon race, while Karen Keys-Gamarra lost to Thomas Wilson in the Sully District race. Lee District incumbent Tamara Derenak Kaufax, Mason District incumbent Sandra Evans and Springfield District incumbent Elizabeth Schultz all ran unopposed and won re-election to their seats.
Results
| Fairfax County School Board, At-large, General Election, 2015 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Ilryong Moon Incumbent |
17.2% | 84,364 |
| Ryan McElveen Incumbent |
17.0% | 83,160 |
| Jeanette Hough |
16.3% | 80,035 |
| Ted Velkoff Incumbent | 15.3% | 74,948 |
| Robert Copeland | 15.2% | 74,454 |
| Manar Jean-Jacques | 11.6% | 57,043 |
| Peter Marchetti | 2.6% | 12,809 |
| Omar Fateh | 2.3% | 11,062 |
| Burnette Scarboro | 2.2% | 10,676 |
| Write-in votes | 0.3% | 1,458 |
| Total Votes | 490,009 | |
| Source: Virginia Department of Elections, "2015 November General", accessed November 3, 2015 | ||
Funding
Fateh reported $12,662.43 in contributions and $2,008.66 in expenditures to the Virginia State Board of Elections, which left his campaign with $10,653.77 on hand as of October 28, 2015.[5]
Endorsements
Fateh received an official endorsement for his campaign from the Fairfax Education Association PAC.[6]
Campaign themes
2025
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released November 30, 2024 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Omar Fateh completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Fateh's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
I currently serve as the Minnesota State Senator representing District 62, a seat I first won in 2020 and again in 2022. My terms in the Minnesota Legislature and my current mayoral campaign are the culmination of a life dedicated to improving the lives of my neighbors and fellow Minnesotans, informed by progressive values and strong community bonds.
My career in public service is defined by my belief that community members are experts on their own needs, and leaders must listen to them when developing policy. I have deep ties in our community and have worked on issues such as environmental and racial justice through restorative urban planning, including reparations to Black neighborhoods destroyed by highways. I will continue fighting for these initiatives as Mayor to ensure that Minneapolis becomes an equitable and welcoming city for all of its residents.- 1. Build a Minneapolis working people can afford to call home. This means:
-Raising the minimum wage to $20/hr by 2028. -Passing rent stabilization while incentivizing new construction & tenant protections.
We deserve: A Mayor who stands with working people. - 2. Protect our City from Donald Trump. This means: -MPD should not support ICE, whether it’s an Immigration raid or not. -Stand up against Trump’s attacks on healthcare and bodily autonomy. We deserve: A Mayor who won’t run from Trump, but will build the line of defense.
- 3. Diversify our City’s public safety response. This means: -We need to fund non-police programs like mental health responders, crisis teams, and youth programs: 47% of MPD calls don’t require an armed response. -Fix the broken systems and clear the backlog of unsolved police cases. We deserve: Care, not crackdowns. That’s true public safety.
-Build a Minneapolis working people can afford to call home
-Protect our City from Donald Trump
From my first senate race in 2020, working in partnership with and being accountable to the community has been at the center of my campaigns and work. As a State Senator, I have worked in lock step with community members and leaders to fight for real, tangible changes for people in our city and state. This is reflected in my years-long work alongside Uber and Lyft drivers, pushing for raises and worker protections for all Uber and Lyft drivers in our state, despite facing vetoes from both the Governor and the Minneapolis Mayor. It is also reflected in my consistent presence and participation on picket lines, actions, and overall in the community.
After winning reelection in 2022, I was appointed chair of the Higher Education Committee, and vice-chair of the Human Services Committee. My most notable achievements during this term have been a higher-education bill proposing free public college for students from households that make less than $80,000/year, and serving as chief author of a bill to secure a minimum wage and worker protections for Uber and Lyft drivers.
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.
2022
Omar Fateh did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Omar Fateh did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2015
Candidate website
Fateh's campaign website listed the following themes for 2015:
| “ |
As an At-Large Member of the School Board, my primary goal would be to more responsively serve the actual members of the entire community—from students and their families to teachers and staff—and to meet all of their diverse needs. I would seek, in particular, to provide more substantive representation to the County’s under-served populations, including minority students, disadvantaged students, and students with special needs, among others. In doing this, I would hope to make the County’s Student Achievement Goals realities for each and every student. In order to make this possible, I’ll have to focus on three main areas: Expanding Community Engagement Many members of the community are unaware of what the School Board is or who their representatives are on the Board. We must be sensitive to the fact that the families of our diverse county face different realities, which obligates the School Board to reach out to parents on their terms. By effectively communicating with parents, students, and teachers to better understand their specific needs, we will be better equipped to serve the whole of the County, including the traditionally underrepresented communities. As a Board member, I will also make it a priority to tap into the area’s valuable resources to benefit our students and the community as a whole. I will work to expand public-private partnerships, improving relationships with civic organizations, community leaders, as well as the Board of Supervisors. Addressing the Needs of the Full Range of Students For far too long, our low-income and minority students have fallen victim to the achievement gap, often from as early as before kindergarten. The county’s African-American and Latino student populations continually score between 20 and 25 percentage points lower than their peers on Math and Science SOL tests. Even worse, in my time as a college academic advisor, I witnessed countless students—even those with advanced test scores—enter college unprepared, some finding themselves placed in remedial Math and English courses, as well as starting their academic careers unsure of their strengths, passions and potential paths. I will work to provide students the support and resources they need to be better prepared to succeed in today’s ever-globalizing, modernizing economy, identifying their interests and potential career paths in an all-out effort to close the achievement gap. Equitably Managing the County’s Rapid Growth Working within the constraints of our County’s budget, I’ll seek to ensure that all students are provided with the necessary environments in which to learn, the best possible resources, and the most-qualified and fairly compensated teachers. I’ll treat our students and their educations as an investment rather than an expense, working more collaboratively with the community and its leaders, including the Board of Supervisors, to fairly and fully address the most pressing needs. As a School Board Member, I will put students first, investing in early childhood education, providing additional resources to those students who are the most at risk to fall victim to the achievement gap, and providing a stable and safe environment in the face of overcrowding and cost-cutting.[7] |
” |
| —Omar Fateh, (2015)[8] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Minnesota scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from February 12 to May 20.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 3 to May 22.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 31 to May 23.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 5 to May 17.
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See also
2025 Elections
External links
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Candidate Mayor of Minneapolis |
Officeholder Minnesota State Senate District 62 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ City of Minneapolis, "Common questions about filing for office," accessed September 10, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Facebook, "Omar Fateh," accessed January 22, 2021
- ↑ Fateh for School Board, "About," accessed October 14, 2015
- ↑ Fairfax County Public Schools, "School Board: Overview," May 14, 2015
- ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, "Campaign Finance Reports," accessed October 27, 2015
- ↑ Inside NoVA, "Fairfax Education Association PAC makes political endorsements," September 10, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Fateh for School Board, "Issues," accessed October 14, 2015
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jeff Hayden (D) |
Minnesota State Senate District 62 2021-Present |
Succeeded by - |
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