MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Brooklyn Park Voters to Decide Mayor's Race and Three City Council Seats as November 3 Election Approaches

Incumbent Mayor Hollies Winston faces Council Member Shelle Page, while six candidates compete for three district seats. The results will shape decisions on public safety, property taxes, housing, economic development and the city's major transportation investments.

BROOKLYN PARK, MN (November 2, 2026).

Brooklyn Park voters will head to the polls Tuesday to determine who leads Minnesota's sixth-largest city for the next four years, with a contested mayoral election and three City Council races bringing months of campaigning to a conclusion.

Incumbent Mayor Hollies J. Winston faces City Council Member Shelle Page in the November 3 general election after both advanced from a four-candidate primary in August.

Voters will also elect representatives for the city's East, Central and West districts, choosing among six candidates competing for three council seats.

The election comes as Brooklyn Park continues to confront decisions involving public safety, residential development, property taxes, transportation infrastructure and economic investment.

Among the major projects facing the next administration are the proposed BioTech Innovation District and the METRO Blue Line Extension, initiatives that could influence the city's development and transportation patterns for years to come.

With more than 86,000 residents, Brooklyn Park has become one of Minnesota's largest and most diverse communities, making the direction of its municipal government significant for households, businesses and neighborhoods across the northwest Twin Cities.

Winston and Page emerge from four-candidate primary

The mayoral contest began with four candidates seeking the city's highest elected office.

Winston faced challenges from three current or former City Council members: Shelle Page, Maria Tran and Boyd Morson.

The August 11 primary narrowed the field to Winston and Page.

According to results reported following the primary, Winston received 5,639 votes, representing approximately 48.6% of ballots cast in the mayoral contest.

Page finished second with 3,167 votes, or 27.3%.

Morson received 1,660 votes, approximately 14.3%, while Tran received 1,141 votes, or 9.8%.

The results established the November matchup between the incumbent mayor and a sitting member of the council.

The primary totals provide historical context but do not determine the outcome of Tuesday's election, which will involve a broader general-election electorate.

Hollies Winston seeks another term

Winston became Brooklyn Park's first Black mayor in 2022, initially winning a special election before securing a full term later that year.

His tenure has included efforts to expand economic development, attract business investment, strengthen public safety and advance infrastructure improvements.

The mayor has emphasized Brooklyn Park's potential to become a regional center for biotechnology, medical manufacturing and other employment-generating industries.

His administration has also supported initiatives intended to improve emergency response and expand the city's economic opportunities.

Winston's reelection campaign provides voters an opportunity to evaluate those priorities and his record in office.

However, the city's development ambitions have also generated questions about financing, neighborhood impacts and the relationship between economic growth and affordability.

Those issues will remain relevant regardless of the election outcome.

Shelle Page challenges the incumbent

Page currently represents Brooklyn Park's Central District on the City Council.

Elected in 2024, she entered the mayoral contest arguing for a different approach to city leadership.

Her candidacy places a sitting council member in direct competition with the mayor with whom she has served in municipal government.

Page's campaign has emphasized the need for responsive local leadership and attention to residents' concerns as Brooklyn Park continues to grow.

Her candidacy also raises a governance consideration: Page's existing council term extends through January 2029.

If she wins the mayoral election, the city will need to address the resulting vacancy in her Central District seat under applicable municipal procedures.

The exact process and timing would depend on city law and subsequent official action.

Three City Council districts also on the ballot

Beyond the mayoral contest, Brooklyn Park voters will decide three City Council elections.

The city operates under a seven-member governing structure consisting of the mayor and six council members.

Two council members represent each of the city's three geographic districts: East, Central and West.

Council members serve four-year terms.

The three seats being contested this year will help determine the composition of the council beginning in January 2027.

Each district election is decided by voters residing within that district, while the mayor is elected citywide.

East District: Christian Eriksen faces Allen Miskowiec

In the East District, incumbent Council Member Christian Eriksen faces Allen Miskowiec.

The contest emerged from a four-candidate primary that also included Philip Seton Gaye-Bai and Aaron Endris.

Eriksen led the August primary with 2,068 votes, or approximately 52.4%.

Miskowiec advanced with 696 votes, representing approximately 17.7%.

Gaye-Bai received 591 votes, while Endris received 589.

The narrow two-vote difference between the third- and fourth-place finishers illustrated the competitiveness of the contest for positions below the incumbent.

Eriksen and Miskowiec will now compete for the district's open election-cycle seat.

The winner will participate in council decisions affecting city services, development, public safety and spending.

Central District: Nichole Klonowski faces Ashyante Shantell Gill

In the Central District, incumbent Council Member Nichole Klonowski faces challenger Ashyante Shantell Gill.

The contest did not require an August primary because only two candidates filed.

Klonowski currently serves on the council alongside Page, whose Central District term is not otherwise scheduled to expire in 2026.

The election will determine who occupies the district seat currently held by Klonowski for the next four-year term.

Central District voters will therefore participate in a council contest while also deciding whether Page should become mayor.

The outcomes of those two races could affect the district's representation on the governing body.

West District: Bernice David-Cooper faces Tonja West-Hafner

The West District election features Bernice David-Cooper and Tonja West-Hafner.

Both candidates advanced directly to the November general election because only two people filed for the position.

The seat is currently held by Council Member Maria Tran, who participated in the mayoral primary but did not advance to the November mayoral contest.

The election will determine who represents the West District alongside Council Member Tony McGarvey.

For West District residents, the contest provides an opportunity to select a representative who will participate in decisions involving municipal services, housing, infrastructure and neighborhood development.

Public safety remains an important municipal responsibility

Public safety is among the responsibilities facing Brooklyn Park's next mayor and City Council.

The city operates one of the larger municipal police departments in the northwest metropolitan area and has invested in fire and emergency response capabilities.

Its 2026 budget included six additional full-time firefighters and investments in emergency-response technology.

Those investments form part of a broader effort to maintain service capacity as the city manages residential and commercial growth.

The next council will be responsible for evaluating public safety expenditures alongside other municipal needs.

That work includes considering staffing, equipment, emergency response, prevention programs and the financial resources required to sustain services.

BioTech Innovation District presents development opportunities and questions

One of Brooklyn Park's most prominent long-term economic initiatives is the proposed BioTech Innovation District.

City leaders envision the district as a center for biotechnology, medical manufacturing and related industries.

The initiative is intended to attract employers, expand the local tax base and create employment opportunities.

City officials have discussed the potential for thousands of jobs as the district develops.

However, those figures represent long-term projections rather than existing employment.

The project will require continuing decisions involving infrastructure, transportation access, land use, financing and relationships with private-sector partners.

The next mayor and council will help determine how the city approaches those investments.

Residents and businesses will also have an interest in whether projected economic benefits translate into accessible employment, sustainable public finances and opportunities for local participation.

Blue Line Extension will remain a major regional issue

The planned METRO Blue Line Extension is another significant project affecting Brooklyn Park.

The proposed light-rail expansion would connect Brooklyn Park with North Minneapolis and downtown Minneapolis, expanding regional transit access.

Supporters of the project have emphasized its potential to improve transportation connections and support development along the corridor.

The project also raises questions about construction impacts, neighborhood access, land use, business disruption and long-term operating costs.

Municipal leaders will continue participating in discussions with regional transportation agencies and other government partners.

The next administration will have to consider how transit planning intersects with housing, employment, public infrastructure and neighborhood priorities.

Those decisions will affect more than transportation.

They could influence where new development occurs, how residents access jobs and services, and how the city manages changes along major corridors.

Property taxes, housing and municipal spending

Brooklyn Park's next governing body will also confront familiar but significant municipal responsibilities.

Property taxes help finance public services and infrastructure, making budget decisions important to homeowners, renters and businesses.

Housing affordability remains relevant as the city considers residential development, redevelopment and the needs of households at different income levels.

Street reconstruction, utility infrastructure, parks and public facilities require ongoing investment.

Those responsibilities must be balanced against the city's available revenue and competing demands.

The mayor and council collectively determine municipal policy and allocate city resources through the budget process.

The election will therefore influence the officials responsible for evaluating future spending proposals and development priorities.

Hennepin County contests add to the ballot

Brooklyn Park residents will also participate in several countywide elections.

The November 3 ballot includes the offices of Hennepin County sheriff and county attorney.

Incumbent Sheriff Dawanna Witt faces Joseph Banks.

The county attorney contest features Cedrick Frazier and Anders Folk, who advanced from a five-candidate August primary.

These offices carry responsibilities that extend across Hennepin County, including Brooklyn Park.

The sheriff oversees law enforcement and detention responsibilities assigned to the office, while the county attorney directs criminal prosecution and provides legal services to county government.

Voters may also encounter county commissioner, state legislative, congressional, judicial and other contests depending on their addresses.

State legislative races vary across Brooklyn Park

Brooklyn Park is divided among multiple legislative districts.

That means residents in different neighborhoods may see different candidates for the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives.

Among the legislative contests affecting portions of Brooklyn Park are Senate Districts 34 and 38 and House Districts 34B, 38A and 38B.

The precise races appearing on a voter's ballot depend on the precinct and legislative boundaries.

Residents should therefore use the Minnesota Secretary of State's official sample-ballot tool rather than assume that every city resident will vote in the same legislative contests.

Final day of early voting is Monday

Brooklyn Park residents have until 5 p.m. Monday, November 2, to cast early ballots in person at City Hall.

The early-voting location is:

Brooklyn Park City Hall
Council Chambers
5200 85th Avenue North
Brooklyn Park, MN 55443

Monday's early-voting hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Brooklyn Park has 25 precinct polling locations.

City Hall is not an Election Day polling place.

Residents must vote at the polling location assigned to their residential precinct.

Voters who are already in line at 8 p.m. will be permitted to cast their ballots.

Same-day registration and absentee ballots

Eligible residents who have not registered may register at their assigned polling places on Election Day with acceptable proof of residence.

Minnesota also allows voters who have moved or changed their names to update their registration at the polls.

Residents returning absentee ballots should follow the city's published instructions carefully.

Brooklyn Park states that voters may return absentee ballots in person to City Hall until 5 p.m. on Election Day.

The city also publishes separate deadlines for ballots delivered by mail, package delivery services or authorized agents.

Completed absentee ballots cannot be dropped off at regular Election Day polling places.

Residents seeking assistance may contact Brooklyn Park City Clerk Devin Montero at 763-493-8180.

Election results and the next administration

Unofficial election results are expected to become available after polling places close Tuesday evening.

Those figures will remain subject to the applicable canvassing and certification procedures.

The officials elected in Brooklyn Park's 2026 municipal contests are scheduled to begin their four-year terms on January 4, 2027.

The new council will inherit ongoing decisions involving development, infrastructure, public safety and municipal finances.

The mayoral election will determine whether Winston continues leading the city or Page moves from her council position into the mayor's office.

The three district elections will also determine part of the council's membership for the next governing term.

A consequential local election

For Brooklyn Park residents, the November 3 election extends well beyond the high-profile statewide campaigns.

The mayor and City Council make decisions that directly influence the city's development, public services and financial priorities.

Their responsibilities include approving budgets, adopting municipal policies, overseeing development decisions and allocating resources to city programs.

With major economic and transportation initiatives underway, the officials elected Tuesday will help guide Brooklyn Park through a period of continued change.

The outcome will also determine how the city's governing body is constituted as it enters 2027.

For residents across the East, Central and West districts, the immediate task is to identify their polling places, review their ballots and understand the offices being contested.

The campaigns have presented their cases.

On Tuesday, Brooklyn Park voters will determine who represents them in City Hall and who leads the city through the next four years.

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