Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender not seeking reelection

Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender announced on Sunday that she will not be seeking reelection for her Ward 10 seat next year.

According to a statement, after serving seven years, Bender decided not to run for a third term well before multiple "crises" happened in Minneapolis.

"With attention turning to our upcoming local elections soon, I want to share more widely that I will not seek re-election to the City Council in 2021," Bender said. "It has been an incredible honor to serve our community and work beside you for the past seven years. When I made the decision not to run for a third term, well before multiple crises hit our city, I was reflecting on all that we have accomplished together."

Bender’s statement mentions the recent passing of Minnesota’s first earned safe and sick time, $15 minimum wage laws, support for equitable mobility, safety, sustainability, and the elimination of exclusionary housing laws, among other topics.

"Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share yourself with me: your time, your ideas, your support and critiques," Bender stated. "Thank you to the volunteers who met at my kitchen table eight years ago and to everyone who made phone calls, knocked on doors and talked to your neighbors to increase voter turnout in our ward where 80% of neighbors rent their homes. You are the foundation that further progressive campaigns can build upon."

To read the full statement, click here.