Yussuf Haji

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Yussuf Haji

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 2, 2021

Education

Bachelor's

St. Cloud State University, 2008

Personal

Religion

Islam

Profession

Entrepreneur

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

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Campaign Instagram

Personal Facebook

Yussuf Haji (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Minneapolis City Council to represent Ward 9 in Minnesota. He lost in the general election on November 2, 2021.

Haji 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.

Biography

Yussuf Haji earned a bachelor's degree from St. Cloud State University in 2008. His career experience includes being an entrepreneur.

Elections

2021

See also: City elections in Minneapolis, Minnesota (2021)

General election

General election for Minneapolis City Council Ward 9

The ranked-choice voting election was won by Jason Chavez in round 1 .

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Jason Chavez	56.9	3,792	0	Won (1)
		Mickey Moore	13.6	906	0	1
		Yussuf Haji	12.6	842	0	1
	Submit photo	Ross Tenneson	4.7	313	0	1
	Submit photo	Alfred Flowers Jr.	4.0	265	0	1
		Brenda Short	3.7	247	0	1
	Submit photo	Carmen Means	3.2	215	0	1
	Submit photo	Jon Randall Denison	1.2	80	0	1
		Undeclared Write-insUndeclared write-in candidates may advance past the first round in some ranked-choice elections. If the official source reports write-in votes by candidate name, Ballotpedia displays them alongside the ballot-qualified candidates. However, if write-in votes are reported without a name, they will instead be included in the total write-in votes figure in Round 1. Please consult the official elections source for more details about unnamed write-in candidate vote totals past Round 1.	0.1	6	0

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,666
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign themes

2021

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Yussuf Haji completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Haji'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.

Yussuf Haji is a father, husband, journalist, community mediator, small business owner, and change maker. Having a big heart for people, civil rights, dialogue and understanding, and building a strong, diverse, and inclusive community are the commitments that have led Haji to run for office. For 15 years he has worked, and been vocal, to bring civil rights, interfaith dialogue, and understanding in Minnesota. Previously he has worked for the Minnesota Department of Revenue as an outreach coordinator where he met and listen to people’s every struggle. He and his wife are small business owners, which include running a multilingual communication company, to an online organic cosmetics business.

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?

• It’s time for a City Council member who puts us first, who fights for our collective safety, who will push for the city to invest in reducing chemical dependency, informed trauma care, and more mental health professionals, who will help our small businesses struggling through Covid-19, and who will protect the things that matter to our quality of life. From my 15 years of experience working as a mediator, I will bring my valuable skills in unifying stakeholders, including the Mayor, City Council members, community members, businesses, the Police Department, and neighborhood organizations.

• As City Council I’ll focus on public safety, small business recovery, Minneapolis economic recovery, the opioid crisis, housing and climate action.

• New Pragmatic and Proven Progressive Bold Solutions

Community Question Featured local question

How would you balance the needs and desires of existing business and housing communities with new development? Would you take gentrification and displacement into consideration when planning neighborhood development?

I would balance the needs and desire of existing businesses and housing communities with new development by bringing everyone in to have a seat at the table to discuss concerns. Developers must understand that existing businesses and those with housing will not be pushed out to suit their needs, rather we must all work together. Mass displacement will not happen as city council, because our communities are stronger when they’re more diverse.

Community Question Featured local question

Please list the criteria you would use to evaluate which projects are worth maintaining or starting in Minneapolis when it comes to public infrastructure.

The criteria that I would use to evaluate which projects are worth maintaining or starting in Minneapolis when it comes to public infrastructure would include whether or not a project would adversely impact marginalized communities. If a project will negatively impact marginalized communities in a large way, is something I will consider when evaluating a project.

Community Question Featured local question

What do you think about the city's environmental health? Would you make any changes to current policy?

The city’s environmental health can certainly improve. There still high rates of pollution in certain areas that needs to be addressed.

Community Question Featured local question

What role do you feel police should play in Minneapolis? What are your thoughts on the city council’s proposed changes to the Minneapolis Police Department?

The police should be present for violent and emergency situations for community members. I believe Minneapolis needs safety in order to thrive, so we must hold officers accountable when they make bad choices.

Community Question Featured local question

What would you like Minneapolis' public safety system to look like by the end of your term? What would you do to accomplish your vision of public safety?

I would like community to feel safe and to foster a neighborly concern for their neighbors. To foster this, I would like to have community events so people within communities can get to know one another and have a greater dialogue about how they envision safety. I would also like to speak about the ways in which the police department can take accountability for bad behavior.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The areas of public policy that I am personally passionate about are being inclusive and providing the tools needed for our diverse communities to thrive in their neighborhoods. Each person deserves shelter, access to healthy food, and to be safe in their homes as a foundational requirement in each city. I am passionate about implementing policies that will allow people to have these essentials.

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

It is about bringing together community stakeholders and residents on a localized level. That is important, to represent everyone even on a local level within a specific ward.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

During a rally in South Minneapolis in 2001, Paul Wellstone said “a politic that is not sensitive to the concerns and circumstances of people’s lives, a politic that does not speak to the people and include people is an intellectually arrogant politics that deserves to fail”. His words inspired me as a joined in the causes and concerns of my fellow neighbors.

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

The characteristics that are most important for an elected official is being a team player. Knowing how to work with others is extremely important.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Active listener, approachable, and solution driven.

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

The core responsibility for someone elected into this office is to represent and advocate what people envision for their communities as it relates to safety, the economy, education, and health.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy that can be built upon for future generations to come. I got into politics in part because I want my children and their friends to be in a safe environment. I don’t want them to grow up seeing injustice constantly. The legacy I would like to leave is a safer Minneapolis and Minnesota, a nurturing environment where communities have voices and can thrive financially, socially, and health wise.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Paul Wellstone’s rally in South Minneapolis in 2001.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was part founder and leader of an organization who’s mission was to ease racial tension in Minnesota, as a civil rights leader. I led that organization for 5-6 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Bill of the Century by Clay Risen because it provides a historical account of a bill meant to promote equity in America.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Bob Marley - Don't worry be Happy

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Something that has been a struggle in my life is hearing the concerns of others. That is why it was important for me to run. Not only do I want my children to grow in a safe environment, but I also want to address the concerns of those who are my neighbors.

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

I believe it’s beneficial for holders of this office to have experience working with people and hearing their concerns at some capacity, it is an added bonus if holders have experience in government or politics.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

The most helpful skill that will be the most helpful for holders of this office to possess is include knowing how to actively listen to people and knowing how to speak to them about their concerns.

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

• Click here to view an archived version of Haji's campaign website.

See also

2021 Elections

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Candidate

Minneapolis City Council Ward 9

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