Public safety, homelessness, and small business support were the top issues highlighted by Minneapolis Voices readers in our 2025 campaign coverage survey.

When asked which top three issues are most important when deciding who to vote for, 70% of respondents chose public safety, 57% chose homelessness, and 35% chose small business support.

K-12 education narrowly missed the top three, at 34. While the City can collaborate with schools, the City of Minneapolis does not have legislative or financial control over schools.

Other important issues highlighted by readers include policing approaches in Uptown, revitalization ideas for Uptown and downtown, addressing the impact of the reduced tax base in Uptown and downtown, Public Works management (potholes being filled, street lights getting fixed, etc.), wildlife habitat connectivity and conservation, and accessibility programs.

Questions you want asked

Here is a small selection of the questions you suggested we ask local candidates this campaign season:

In regards to revitalizing the downtown core, what are your plans to create a vibrant and safe environment for residents, workers, and visitors in areas like Nicollet Mall and Hennepin Avenue?

What would you do on day one in office to address the encampments in Minneapolis that's different from what's currently happening?

The City is under two consent decrees regarding policing and has franchise agreements with Xcel Energy and CenterPoint that have specific metrics on transitioning to clean energy. What examples can you share of how you have dealt with holding those under your charge accountable for what they have agreed to?

In the lens of wanting to be an elected official what is your “why” on which you try to base your decisions? Are you willing to work with other people in government who are more conservative or progressive than you? Give concrete examples.

There have been increases in concrete installation by both the City and the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. The concrete industry is responsible for over 7% of all emissions and the heat island effect is being expanded. Would you support future development plans that add to concrete emissions?

Information needed to become an informed voter

We also asked readers what resources and information they need to be an informed voter. Here are a few sentiments shared:

I'm most interested in learning how candidates think about solving problems. We never know exactly what will be in front of a mayor or council, so it's most useful to understand their decision-making process and values rather than opinions on niche problems.

Detailed policy proposals on a wide range of topics. I'm tired of platitudes and vague statements. I want plans for action.

It's most important to me to get a sense of people's values, knowing that they humanize all the issues facing the city and have compassion and empathy for folks–whether the solutions to problems are clear or not.

I want to see position statements but also evidence of their working style. I don’t want a candidate who can’t work well and/or reach a compromise with others.

I'm a new resident, so it would be nice to know what the incumbent has done in addition to what they want to do.

More media coverage of candidates and their campaigns. And don't just run their PR. Do your research, media people. Help the public see how to separate the fluff from the reality on the existing elected officials' votes taken. Create an easy to read format like a chart of key votes and who voted yes, no, etc. Who showed up for meetings and who was absent the most. Report on campaign financing and make it easier to find/access. Educate the voters of Minneapolis!

Interviews distributed via podcast (ideally unedited)

Voting records for people who have already been in-office before.

Our plans

Minneapolis Voices plans to interview all major mayoral and City Council candidates in our coverage areas. Responses to the 2025 campaign survey will impact the content of our interviews. Leave a comment below if you’d like to add to our conversation on how to cover this significant Minneapolis election season.

Editor’s note: The survey was taken by 146 people, which is roughly 3% of our newsletter subscriber base.