Special Election Needed for Brooklyn Park Mayor
Brooklyn Park residents can expect to see voting polls again as early as this spring. This time it’s to fill the city’s mayoral seat.
On Tuesday, current Brooklyn Park Mayor Jeff Lunde was elected Hennepin County Commissioner for District 1. He is currently serving his third term as mayor. But since he will be sworn in as commissioner in January, there will be about two years left on his mayoral term.
Brooklyn Park City Clerk Devin Montero said the city council must order a special election to fill the balance of the unexpired term.
“If 365 days or more remain on the mayors term, within 45 days, the city council must declare vacancy and call for special election,” explained Montero. “It’s also going to be a city-wide election, meaning I’m going to open all 24 polling places staffed by election judges.”
- Click here to read the Brooklyn Park city charter
Montero said there are specific dates that a special election can be held. As of now, the city is looking at April. He said if there are more than two candidates, a primary special election is required.
Brooklyn Park Special Election Expected to Draw Significant Interest
Mayor Lunde believes the race for the Brooklyn Park mayoral seat will be a crowded one.
“I think there will be more than two,” said Lunde. “I figure there will probably be a dozen. It’ll be a good scrum I suspect. I think there’ll be some good candidates out there that will be running for office.”
Between the time Mayor Lunde moves into his new role as commissioner and the special election, the mayor pro tem will fill Lunde’s position. That would be newly re-elected Brooklyn Park City Council member Lisa Jacobson.
