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The Messenger and Southwest Connector reached out to local candidates with questions on a variety of issues. Here are the responses of the candidates who responded. Any who respond after our print deadline will be added as they come in.
banks4sheriff.com
Banks started his law enforcement career in south suburban Robbins, Ill. as Police Explorer. After serving in the United States Marine Reserves, he started his first law enforcement job as a police dispatcher and became a part-time police officer. He moved to Minnesota in Minnesota in 1993. He has served as chief of police for the Lower Sioux Police Department and city of Morton, Minn.
How will you balance the Minneapolis voters’ split desire for alternative resources for policing versus adding police?
I would balance the Minneapolis voter’s split desire for alternative resources for policing versus adding police by first adding more deputies on the street for more proactive and impartial policing. This is because of the recent uptake in violent crime and gun violence. I would also work with the community to use community based alternatives to support the efforts of policing working together. Everything is on the table when it comes to keeping the citizens of Hennepin safe.
How do you plan to handle and address the spike in car jackings?
I plan to go after the individual that the carjackers are selling the cars to and insure that those whom are comiting these carjacking are arrested and held accountable.
How will you work to restore trust in the sheriff’s office?
I will restore trust in the sheriff’s office by hiring deputies from Hennepin communities and through efforts to be more transparent as possible.
How do you propose engaging youth and stopping the cycle of crime?
I plan to bring more cop houses to Hennepin and also by teaching our deputies and officers in the county to use more discretionary authority to determine if it's an arrestable or teachable moment. Educating people so they don't have to go to jail and working with the community to find and identify alternative services for youth offenders.
What is your opinion on the use of drones and social media monitoring?
I think that drones can be very helpful in police chases and monitoring of some social media could provide law enforcement a leg up on certain types of crime and help to keep the community safe.
wittforsheriff.com
Witt is a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. She has 22 years of experience in law enforcement and currently serves as a major at the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, where she leads the single largest bureau: Adult Detention and Court Services. She grew up in North Minneapolis.
How will you balance the Minneapolis voters’ split desire for alternative resources for policing versus adding police?
Minneapolis voters clearly want a community with a strong public safety presence. While that public safety is often best provided by police, there are other times when that is created by having well-trained professionals who can provide mental health and other social services. This shouldn’t be an “either/or” proposition: we should have the professionals available who can best address criminal activity and have professionals available who can deliver other human services when our citizens are in need.
How do you plan to handle and address the spike in car jackings?
Currently the Sheriff's Office has a grant-funded Auto Theft Team that is dedicated to investigating carjacking cases within Hennepin County. Since its creation in 2021, this team has been remarkably successful. As Sheriff, I would continue to seek resources to keep this grant, as well as grow this team. Crime thrives when those who commit crimes believe they can get away with it and not face consequences. As Sheriff, I will coordinate law enforcement agencies that work throughout the county and state to identify the places where crime is occurring and focus resources on those places and times. I will work with prosecutors and judges to make sure that those who prey on our citizens are held accountable. Finally, I will communicate with the public, letting them know when anyone in the criminal justice system is falling down in their responsibility to hold criminals accountable for illegal activity.
How will you work to restore trust in the sheriff’s office?
I can bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community because I am from the community. As a kid growing up in South Minneapolis, I didn’t see myself as someone who would be working in the law enforcement/criminal justice field. I grew up around crime. I grew up around drugs and alcohol. I was a teen mom. I didn’t trust the police. But here I am. This is my calling. With 22 years of experience in law enforcement, and a proven track record of developing innovative programs that work, I know that I am up to this task. My lived experiences solidify what I already know and what we have been hearing from the communities that we serve and protect; true engagement, trust, respect and accountability from everyone.
How do you propose engaging youth and stopping the cycle of crime?
I have been involved in engaging youth throughout my career. I have the background and training to help youth see that possibility. Youth must see that the opportunities afforded by a crime free life are real. They must know that they will be held accountable for their actions, good and bad.
I plan to expand our Community Outreach Division so that we can better connect and engage our young people. Sadly, much of the increase in crime has been committed by young people in our community. I will expand youth the youth outreach works that HCSO does so that youth not only understand the consequences of making bad choices but see the potential for a happier life as a productive member of society. Furthermore, I will increase the Sheriff’s Office involvement with proven programs such as Explorers, Internship and Cadet programs.
At some point, we must admit that we must do better with teaching our young people that they are worthy of a better life. Because, if they don’t believe that they can be better and deserve better, we will continue to see this constant level of violent crime.
What is your opinion on the use of drones and social media monitoring?
Drones have real value—they can be used to search water and places where people can’t easily get to help find vulnerable people who may have wandered away. The use of drones for general surveillance or for criminal investigation should be very limited to the most extreme circumstances. Social media monitoring should be restricted to when people’s lives are potentially in danger, but its use should be limited and not include proactively searching for criminal behavior.
marthaforhennepin.com
Martha Holton Dimick is a retired judge and is running for Hennepin County Attorney to rebuild trust and restore effectiveness into the county attorney’s office. She served as the first Northside community prosecutor at Hennepin County and worked as the criminal deputy in the Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office, where she managed over 60 attorneys and staff. "I love my neighborhood in north Minneapolis and I have grown to love Hennepin County during this campaign," she said. "My top priority is redressing the increase in crime that we have seen since 2020, and restoring public safety for all who live and work here."
What do you propose to manage public safety and rising crime rates?
The research shows that when more public safety officers are on the streets – both police and alternative responders – we reduce both crime and eventually incarceration rates. As prosecutors, we can partner with cities to enforce consistent penalties for violent and repeat offenders, and ensure police misconduct results in discipline.
How do you view child protection and support cases?
Child protection is an important part of our office. There are well-known inequalities resulting from cultural barriers between the office and community members. We must continue working toward family reunification when it’s safe and appropriate, and continue lobbying for critical funding to ensure family resources are available and effective.
How will you address the public’s changing opinions on criminal justice reform?
I believe public safety should take precedence over public opinion. Outdated policies like incarcerating low-level drug offenders do not make anyone safer. We must dedicate resources to bolstering alternatives to incarceration for low-level and first-time offenders because those alternatives work. My office will deal with everyone equally, compassionately, and with dignity.
How do you view the use of juvenile diversion and restorative justice programs?
We need rehabilitative programs that will treat juvenile offenders, but especially preventative programs that intervene before the first act of violence occurs. It makes no sense to punish kids for their entire lives for a mistake when they were young. Programs and personnel that treat children with mental health issues are sorely needed and will be an emphasis of my administration.
How will you address equity issues in prosecution?
Regaining trust in the community starts with prioritizing equity in prosecution and in hiring a diverse group of attorneys. Many people who come through the justice system have committed a serious crime and are a clear danger to society. Many are not. Prosecutors have discretion and need to apply it equitably for the system to be fair.
www.MaryforHennepin.com
Moriarty began her career as a public defender in Hennepin County in 1990 and worked her way up to serve as the county’s first female Chief Public Defender for six years. One of her first cases went all the way to the US Supreme Court. Moriarty attended Macalester College and then the University of Minnesota Law School. “During my six years leading the second largest public law office in the state, an independent evaluation recognized it as one of the most effective offices in the country,” she said. “I’m proud to have the endorsement of the DFL, Keith Ellison, Scott Dibble, Jamie Long, Frank Hornstein, pro-choice groups, and over 50 legislators, mayors, city council and school board members across Hennepin County.”
What do you propose to manage public safety and rising crime rates?
My job will always be to keep everyone safe. I will focus our resources on prosecuting violent crime, especially gun violence. As Hennepin County Attorney, I need good police work to successfully prosecute those responsible for violent crime. I will partner with police to improve processes for effective prosecution.
How do you view child protection and support cases?
We need to protect children and we need to make sure caregivers have the resources they need to be successful. Parents should pay support for their children, and we also need to ensure that they aren’t punished in ways that result in losing the means to pay.
How will you address the public’s changing opinions on criminal justice reform?
I will make data and research-driven decisions and I believe in transparency, accountability, and accessibility. This means that the public will know our office’s policies and what the data shows. I will engage communities throughout the county to make sure that we are hearing and addressing their concerns.
How do you view the use of juvenile diversion and restorative justice programs?
We need to hold kids accountable for the crimes they commit to protect the community and also to help kids develop better decision-making and avoid reoffending. We can help prevent reoffense through structured risk and needs assessments, and interventions rooted in adolescent brain development, trauma-informed care, and restorative justice practices.
How will you address equity issues in prosecution?
My office will collect data on racial disparities in every part of the system to examine decision points and create policies through a racial equity lens. In particular, we need to monitor high-disparity touch points including traffic stops, “consent” searches, and arrests.
Beachy is currently in his 21st year of teaching. This is his eighth as a special education teacher with Minneapolis Public Schools. “I come from a family of teachers, and I am a strong advocate of public education,” he said. “I am running for the school board in part to help restore the trust that we have lost with the public. I believe that a school district cannot be run with a corporate mentality, one that treats its employees, students, and families as inventory on a spreadsheet rather than investments into our future. I am part of the Safe and Stable Schools slate and am DFL and union endorsed. My priorities will be ensuring that our teachers and parents have the tools they need to provide the best education possible for our students. “
How will you reduce the achievement gap between Black and White students in the district?
There are curricular frameworks that respect diverse populations while at the same time stressing academic rigor. If we are to be serious about our commitment to closing the gaps, we need ensure our staff are fully versed in how to implement these frameworks into their teaching methods through targeted and intensive professional development training sessions.
How will you change the culture of a top-down management approach and seek to include the voices of teachers, paraprofessionals and other staff in decisions?
I am fully union endorsed intend to ensure that the people who are truly the ones keeping MPS running will be priorities. This district has lost the trust of the community. Under the current system, the flow of information comes from the administration to the board. That information now needs to be fully vetted by those stakeholders who will be most affected by administrative decisions.
How will you bridge the gap following the strike between teachers/paraprofessionals/parents/students and administrators?
There are two clear paths for us to follow post-strike. After Chicago’s teacher strike, the fighting resumed. After the Los Angeles teacher strike, the administration, school board and unions created a process separate from negotiations to avert another strike. I would like to encourage us to pursue a process like the latter rather than the former.
How will you follow up on the Comprehensive District Design and evaluate the changes?
I would ask the following questions: 1-What are the long-term visions and goals of the CDD. 2-What are the benchmarks for the long-term vision? 3-Have we hit our targets and what are the next steps moving forward? 4-Has the public been fully and dutifully informed? 5-If we did not hit our benchmarks, what are the plans to address where we fell short?
What are your ideas for educating students holistically?The public mental health crisis that was building before the pandemic is definitely affecting many of our students. I believe a quality education should include one that addresses our students’ academic as well as non-academic needs. Ensuring our students have access to wraparound services such as tutoring, enrichment activities in the arts, and workforce development should be a part of our educational services.
www.Sonyaformps.com
Emerick is a lifelong Minneapolis resident, an MPS grad, and a parent of an MPS student. "Our educational system holds a standardized idea of how every student should learn and behave that’s based in whiteness and ableism," she said. "When kids can’t fit that narrow standard, we too often exclude them from the educational experience. That exclusion affects the learning environment for every single student whose needs and identities are devalued. Educators need to be supported to provide culturally sustaining instruction and an environment of true belonging, and all stakeholder groups need leadership committed to ensuring delivery of that support and to engaging our families and communities in authentic, meaningful ways. It’s my honor to participate in this important work."
How will you reduce the achievement gap between Black and White students in the district?
MPS needs to meaningfully and effectively implement its Climate Framework at every site and across stakeholder groups in service of dismantling racism and related forms of oppression in the district. It’s time for leadership to commit to bringing our school communities together to co-create transparent metrics for implementation so that every student, including and especially students of color and Indigenous students, have access to safe and culturally sustaining educational spaces where they have the opportunity to learn from well-supported, highly skilled educators who racially and culturally mirror them.
How will you change the culture of a top-down management approach and seek to include the voices of teachers, paraprofessionals and other staff in decisions?
Systems for integrating community voice must be co-crafted with parents, caregivers, families, and other stakeholders. We need to stop imposing surveys and public opinion collection strategies that aren’t serving their purpose, and instead honor and expand avenues for feedback that communities have identified as useful and important.
How will you bridge the gap following the strike between teachers/paraprofessionals/parents/students and administrators?
Educators need to be treated like skilled professionals, and they need to see leadership fighting HARD for state funding to increase their wages and address working conditions.
Families have been clear about their need for increased culturally responsive engagement. Communities are brilliant at and motivated to generate feedback about their experiences and priorities. MPS leadership must learn how to listen, and how to be in conversation with our families and communities, in order to establish a starting place for repair.
How will you follow up on the Comprehensive District Design and evaluate the changes?
I would use the metrics outlined in the strategic plan to track CDD impact. What I am most concerned with is how we move forward to mitigate disruption, celebrate and expand our gains, and ensure that what we have gone through together is in service to a system that prioritizes equitable access to a high quality education for every single one of our kids.
What are your ideas for educating students holistically?
I believe fiercely that all students are engaged, motivated and skilled learners, and it is the job of educational leadership to remove barriers. I’m passionate about frameworks and practices that honor all student strengths, needs and identities as valuable and enriching characteristics of our learning communities. I’m committed to elevating student voice and developing our future leaders by giving our children opportunities to successfully lead today, particularly those disproportionately harmed by disparities and difficulties.
How will you reduce the achievement gap between Black and White students in the district?
Even before the school board started discussing it, I knew we had to get on a structured literacy with heavy phonics and structured math teaching district wide. Structured literacy with phonics is the one to cut across most lines, whether it be ethnic, comprehension or dyslexia.
How will you change the culture of a top-down management approach and seek to include the voices of teachers, paraprofessionals and other staff in decisions?
Well, that’s how I knew about answer #1. I want to be on the school board, not a reading specialist, so I reached out to math teachers, paraprofessionals, and parmentors, to see what they thought about the different options. They look at if the children are interested, is it easy to teach, do the children stay interested, can teachers make it interesting and a lot more factors.
How will you bridge the gap following the strike between teachers/paraprofessionals/parents/students and administrators?
Students and parents should lead the way and confide in their teachers, who should confide in their administrators, who should run that up as well. We have been doing it wrong for far too long. Most parents know the teachers were right and the district didn’t have to choose to prolong the way it did.
How will you follow up on the Comprehensive District Design and evaluate the changes?
We have schools with too few and schools with too many students. We have families split up and they deserve to have the lines redrawn so their children can be together again, even if they drive. Plus, we have redistricted, so the lines should be revisited to be more fair citywide anyways. Also, making sure math/reading are identical throughout the district . We just had one side of district program heavy for too long and the boat started sinking. We have to put together a district that will be competitive and sustainable.
What are your ideas for educating students holistically?
Having students tell us what they need and then implementing it. Having parents tell us what their children need and implementing it. Asking what our people (all staff) need inside the schools and implement them. It’s time to make our schools whole and leave everything else outside. Of course growing fantastic programs, getting to seven hours all around, an on-time bussing schedule and after school activities for all.
All voters will have these state races on their general election ballot:
Locally, voters will also see:
The redistricting process in Minneapolis wrapped up at the end of March, with new ward boundaries approved March 2 and new precinct lines adopted March 24. Following the census every 10 years, each state creates new lines of political representation based on updated population numbers, which ultimately trickles down to our the city council and park board. To see a new Ward-Precinct map, visit vote.minneapolismn.gov.
All registered voters will receive a postcard from Hennepin County in July with polling place information. It is recommended that all voters verify their polling place before voting this year – there is a simple Pollfinder tool available from the Minnesota Secretary of State found here, but WAIT until mid-June to use this tool, as new data will not be available in the system until that time. Voters can also call the city 311 line as we get closer to the election to inquire about their assigned poll.
Feel free to reach out to the Elections & Voter Services office with any related questions at elections@minneapolismn.gov
School Board Candidate filing period: May 17 - May 31
Candidate withdrawal deadline: June 2
State Primary: Aug. 9
Polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Early voting period: June 24 - August 8
Early registration deadline: Tuesday, July 19
Registration deadline is 5 p.m. if registering by paper and 11:59 p.m. if registering online.
Deadlines to return your mail ballot: Tuesday, August 9
Ballots sent in the mail must arrive on or by August 9.
Ballots dropped off in person due by 3 p.m.
Ballots delivered using a service (Fed-Ex, UPS, etc.) due by 8 p.m.
Election Day: Nov. 8
Polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Early voting period: September 23 - November 7
(closed October 10)
Early registration deadline: Tuesday, October 18
Registration deadline is 5 p.m. if registering by paper and 11:59 p.m. if registering online. If you miss this deadline, you can still register on Election Day or through the absentee voting process.
Recommended deadline to apply for a ballot: Tuesday, October 25
Deadlines to return your mail ballot: Tuesday, November 8
Ballots sent in the mail must arrive on or by November 8.
Ballots dropped off in person due by 3 p.m.
Ballots delivered using a service (Fed-Ex, UPS, etc.) due by 8 p.m.
A consortium of Hennepin County Leagues of Women Voters (Brooklyn Park/Osseo/Maple Grove, Crystal/New Hope/East Plymouth/Robbinsdale, Edina, Golden Valley, Minneapolis, Minnetonka/Eden Prairie/Hopkins, St. Louis Park, and Wayzata/Plymouth) will co-host two candidate forums for the primary election. All candidates who filed for Hennepin County Attorney and Hennepin County Sheriff were invited. These events are free and open to the public. The forums will be live streamed at www.stlouispark.org, and will be available on YouTube and other sources after the event. The specific details for each forum are:
Hennepin County Attorney Forum
This forum will be held on Tuesday, June 28, at 7 p.m. at St. Louis Park City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Boulevard. The candidates are Martha Holton Dimick, Jarvis Jones, Tad Jude, Mary Moriarty, Paul Ostrow, Saraswati Singh, and Ryan Winkler. Candidates will respond to questions on a wide variety of issues of concern to voters. League of Women Voters of Eastern Carver County member Laura Helmer will moderate.
Hennepin County Sheriff Forum
This forum will be held on Wednesday, June 29, at 7 p.m. at St. Louis Park City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Boulevard. The candidates are Joseph Banks, Jai Hanson, and Dawanna Witt. League of Women Voters of White Bear Lake Area member Mary Santi will moderate this event.
Voters attending the forum have two opportunities to submit questions to the candidates. Written questions will be accepted throughout the forum. The League also has an email for voters to submit questions in advance. That email address is vote@lwvmpls.org. Please indicate the name of the forum in questions submitted by email. By League of Women Voters policy, the identity of the person asking the question is confidential. Any questions submitted via email will remain confidential with all identifying information removed before the event.
Audience members will also have the opportunity to submit questions in writing at the event, in accordance with Forum Rules.
The Minneapolis Board of Education (School Board) is the elected policy-making body responsible for overseeing the district's budget, curriculum, personnel, facilities, and for selecting the Superintendent.
The board of commissioners leads the county government—passing legislation and administering services and programs. Commissioners approve budgets, hire staff, and set policy. The board may elect some of its members to leadership positions, such as president or chairperson, which are usually held for one-year terms.
The county attorney is the chief prosecutor for the district, representing the government in criminal cases. The attorney investigates crimes, decides whether or not to bring charges against suspects, negotiates plea bargains, and tries cases before juries or judges.
The sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer for the county. The sheriff oversees the county’s law enforcement department, including deputies and administrative support. County sheriffs typically enforce the law in unincorporated areas within a county, but they also will sometimes provide law enforcement services to municipalities that do not have their own police departments. County sheriffs are in charge of county jails. They are sometimes called upon to serve subpoenas, protection orders, and eviction notices.
VOTE411 is committed to ensuring voters have the information they need to successfully participate in every election. Whether it's local, state or federal, every election is important to ensuring our laws and policies reflect the values and beliefs of our communities. More at www.vote411.org
View sample ballots and get election results on the Minnesota Secretary of State web site. You can also sign up to be an election judge, learn about other ways to vote, and register to vote here. Information is available in multiple language, including Somali, Hmong, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, Lao, Oromo, Khamer and Amharic. More here: https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/
Voting in elections is your opportunity to be heard, hold elected officials accountable, and have a say in important issues that affect your community. Prepare to vote so you can take part in our democracy. Learn more about the Hennepin County elections here:
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