St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter faced a tough challenge from fellow DFLer Kaohly Her, a state representative, in a five-person race that centered on affordable housing and public safety in the capital city. “We expected it to be close,” Carter told supporters at a watch party at The Black Hart of Saint Paul.
With all 86 precincts reporting, Carter had garnered 40.83% of the vote to 38.43% for Her, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. This means the ranked-choice election will go to a second round of vote counting on Wednesday. The race also included Yan Chen, Adam Dullinger, and Mike Hilborn.
Carter, who was elected in 2017 and again in 2021, ran on economic gains made under his leadership, including an increase in the city’s minimum wage to $15 and a guaranteed income pilot program that provides $500 monthly to low-income families. But he acknowledged that political winds were shifting. “We are in a moment of global change,” he told reporters, referencing the last few years’ tremendous challenges, including threats from the Trump administration to dispatch federal troops to Minneapolis and St. Paul. “We’re experiencing moments in which cities have to worry about the federal government laying their cities under siege,” he said.
Her, who represents a St. Paul district in the Legislature and was once Carter’s policy director, challenged the mayor’s vision for reviving a post-COVID downtown. She also called for stronger pushback on Trump administration immigration policies, such as requiring name badges and banning face coverings for federal law enforcement agents.
At Carter’s watch party, attorney Haley Taylor Schlitz lauded the mayor’s work in the community, saying, “He cares about St. Paul. He really does stand up for the people and their access to fair housing and healthcare, gun safety, and education equity.”
The shoulder-to-shoulder crowd in the small room at The Black Hart sang karaoke and erupted in cheers when democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani was projected to win the closely watched mayoral race in New York. Meanwhile, a reallocation of voters’ other choices was underway. “We’ll stay in touch as the night goes on,” Carter said.
**School Referendum**
St. Paul voters backed a school levy referendum that will raise about $37 million more in property taxes each year for St. Paul Public Schools. Residents supported increasing the district’s general revenue by $1,073 per pupil for 10 years, beginning in 2026. The St. Paul Board of Education plans to canvass the election results on Nov. 11.
The district has struggled with budget gaps and is anticipating a $37 million deficit next year. Administrators said arts and music programs, as well as some extracurricular activities, were at risk without the increase in funds. The issue was also discussed during the mayoral race, with Carter and Her both expressing their support for the measure.
About two-thirds of voters supported the referendum, including Brian Martinson, a St. Paul planning commissioner who attended Carter’s watch party. “We need to invest more in our kids,” he said.
https://www.minnpost.com/elections/2025/11/melvin-carter-kaohly-her-in-tight-race-for-st-paul-mayor/