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MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Coon Rapids Releases Full Election Results: Pat Carlson Wins Mayoral Race, Sean Novack and Brian Armstrong Secure Council Seats
With all 22 precincts reporting, the city's official unofficial returns confirm Carlson's mayoral victory and establish the outcomes of the Ward 3 and Ward 5 contests that remained unverified in MinneapoliMedia's November 4 Northwest Metro election roundup.
COON RAPIDS, MN (November 5, 2026).
Coon Rapids has released complete unofficial results from Tuesday's general election, confirming Pat Carlson's victory in the mayoral race and identifying the winners of two City Council contests that had remained unresolved in MinneapoliMedia's earlier election reporting.
According to the City of Coon Rapids, all 22 precincts have reported their results.
Carlson received 17,761 votes in the mayoral contest, defeating Thuba Nguyen, who received 8,856 votes. Another 85 ballots were recorded as write-ins.
In Ward 3, incumbent Sean Novack defeated Jean Wayne by 133 votes.
Novack received 2,089 votes, while Wayne received 1,956. An additional 30 write-in votes were recorded.
In Ward 5, incumbent Brian Armstrong defeated Thomas Huling by 1,295 votes.
Armstrong received 2,857 votes, compared with Huling's 1,562. The city recorded another 27 write-in votes in that contest.
The results provide a clearer picture of the leadership that will govern Coon Rapids following the November 3 election.
They also resolve an important reporting gap from Wednesday's Northwest Metro election roundup, when verified municipal totals for the two council races were not yet available in the sources reviewed.
Carlson Wins Mayoral Race by Nearly 9,000 Votes
Carlson's victory establishes the next leadership transition at Coon Rapids City Hall.
The city reports 17,761 votes for Carlson and 8,856 for Nguyen, giving Carlson a margin of 8,905 votes.
Including write-in ballots, Carlson received approximately 66.5% of the votes cast in the mayoral contest.
Nguyen received approximately 33.2%.
The outcome closely matches the percentages reported in preliminary election coverage Wednesday, but the city's publication now provides exact vote totals.
Carlson's victory follows a strong performance in the August primary.
In that contest, Carlson received 5,853 votes, representing 60.14% of the primary vote.
Nguyen received 2,355 votes, or 24.20%, while Jim Shegstad received 1,524 votes.
The November election presented voters with a direct choice between Carlson and Nguyen after the primary narrowed the field.
Carlson will succeed Mayor Jerry Koch, who did not seek another mayoral term because he entered the contest for Anoka County Commissioner in District 4.
A Transition at City Hall
Carlson enters the mayoral office with previous experience in Coon Rapids municipal government.
A retired Coon Rapids police officer and City Council member, Carlson has been involved in local public service before seeking the city's highest elected office.
Her campaign emphasized public safety, fiscal responsibility, economic development and community engagement.
The election now places responsibility on the incoming mayor and the City Council to address those priorities through the city's established governing process.
Coon Rapids faces continuing decisions involving municipal infrastructure, housing development, public safety services, commercial investment and the management of public resources.
Those responsibilities require coordination between the mayor, council members, city administration and other government agencies.
The mayor provides elected leadership, but major municipal decisions are made through the council's legal and procedural responsibilities.
Residents will therefore have opportunities to evaluate the new administration through budget decisions, development proposals, public meetings and the delivery of city services.
Ward 3 | Sean Novack Wins by 133 Votes
The Ward 3 election was the closest of the three Coon Rapids contests reported by the city.
Incumbent Sean Novack received 2,089 votes, defeating Jean Wayne, who received 1,956.
The difference was 133 votes.
Including write-ins, Novack received approximately 51.3% of the votes cast in the race, while Wayne received 48%.
The relatively narrow result demonstrates a closely divided electorate in the ward.
Unlike the mayoral contest, which produced a substantial winning margin, Ward 3 voters were separated by only a few percentage points.
The outcome returns Novack to the City Council for another term.
As a council member, Novack will participate in decisions affecting the city as a whole while representing the concerns of Ward 3 residents.
Those responsibilities include reviewing municipal spending, considering development proposals, adopting ordinances and participating in decisions about infrastructure and public services.
The election also establishes a responsibility to engage residents who supported both candidates.
A council member's obligation to represent the ward extends beyond the voters who supported the winning campaign.
Ward 5 | Brian Armstrong Secures Another Term
Ward 5 produced a more decisive result.
Incumbent Brian Armstrong received 2,857 votes, defeating Thomas Huling, who received 1,562.
The margin was 1,295 votes.
Including write-ins, Armstrong received approximately 64.3% of the votes cast, compared with 35.1% for Huling.
The result returns Armstrong to the council and preserves continuity in Ward 5 representation.
Armstrong will continue participating in municipal decisions involving neighborhood concerns, infrastructure, development and city services.
The next council will also work with Carlson as the city transitions to a new mayor.
The combination of a new mayor and returning council members creates a governing arrangement in which institutional experience will remain present during the leadership transition.
Complete Coon Rapids Election Results
|
Office |
Candidate |
Votes |
|
Mayor |
Pat Carlson |
17,761 |
|
Mayor |
Thuba Nguyen |
8,856 |
|
Mayor |
Write-ins |
85 |
|
Ward 3 |
Sean Novack |
2,089 |
|
Ward 3 |
Jean Wayne |
1,956 |
|
Ward 3 |
Write-ins |
30 |
|
Ward 5 |
Brian Armstrong |
2,857 |
|
Ward 5 |
Thomas Huling |
1,562 |
|
Ward 5 |
Write-ins |
27 |
All 22 Coon Rapids precincts reported results.
What the Results Mean for Coon Rapids
The election establishes the city's next mayor while returning two incumbent council members.
Carlson's victory will bring a leadership change following Koch's tenure.
Novack and Armstrong will provide continuity in the two council wards on the November ballot.
Together, the results will influence the composition of the governing body responsible for city budgets, development policy, infrastructure decisions and municipal services.
For residents, the election also provides a basis for tracking campaign commitments.
Questions about property taxes, housing development, public safety, parks, road maintenance and city spending will remain relevant after the election.
The effectiveness of the new administration will depend on how elected officials address those issues through public decisions and measurable outcomes.
Anoka County Board Results Remain a Separate Reporting Matter
The Coon Rapids results should not be confused with the election for Anoka County Commissioner in District 4.
That contest featured outgoing Mayor Jerry Koch and former Coon Rapids City Council Member Jennifer “Jenny” Geisler.
Although both candidates have strong connections to Coon Rapids, the commissioner election is administered and reported separately from the city's municipal races.
The official county-results page reviewed for this report did not provide usable November 3 totals for the commissioner contest.
Accordingly, this report does not declare a winner in that race.
County commissioners have responsibilities distinct from those of city officials, including oversight of county finances, transportation infrastructure, human services and public-health programs.
The District 4 outcome should be reported when reliable election returns establish the result.
THE TAKEAWAY | A New Mayor, Two Returning Council Members and a Clearer Picture of Local Leadership
Coon Rapids voters have selected Pat Carlson as their next mayor and returned Sean Novack and Brian Armstrong to the City Council.
The city's release of complete unofficial returns resolves the uncertainty surrounding the Ward 3 and Ward 5 races.
Carlson won the mayoral contest by 8,905 votes, Armstrong prevailed in Ward 5 by 1,295, and Novack secured Ward 3 by 133 votes.
The results provide an important foundation for following the city's next chapter.
For MinneapoliMedia, the continuing responsibility will be to examine how the incoming and returning officials manage public resources, respond to residents and carry out the responsibilities entrusted to them.
Election results are unofficial until completion of the applicable canvassing and certification procedures.
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