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Writer's pictureElijah Todd-Walden

Women of color dominate St. Paul City Council, sales tax increase passes

Updated: Nov 11, 2023


Hwa Jeong Kim speaks after learning she won her race to represent Ward 5 (Courtesy of HwaJeong Kim for Ward 5)

Saint Paul voters elected a majority of women of color to represent the city, and have opted for a 1% sales tax increase.


Here are the final results for the St. Paul City Council elections.


Ward 1: Anika Bowie

Ward 2: Rebecca Noecker

Ward 3: Saura Jost

Ward 4: Mitra Jalali

Ward 5: Hwa Jeong Kim

Ward 6: Nelsie Yang

Ward 7: Cheniqua Johnson



Councilmember Kim said that she followed in the footsteps of former councilmember Amy Brendmoen as she paved the way for the first women majority in the city council.


“This year has been a lot, but we worked hard. This year has been about our shared values, our shared vision for the ward. I have knocked thousands and thousands of doors across the ward, cycle after cycle, and we ran on a platform based on all those conversations that we had,” newly elected Councilmember Kim said. “Folks care about housing, they care about our climate crisis, they care about community first public safety where initiatives address people’s basic needs, and they care about workers rights. This year we have won and there’s so much work to do.”


Sixty percent of voters supported the “penny tax,” as it was dubbed by Ward 1 candidate Bowie, saying the funds are necessary to support road work.


“I voted for [the sales tax],” St. Paul voter Daniel Clifford, upon exiting his polling place. “The roads have to be fixed. We need our streets.”

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