Elections & Voting

General Election Results
More than 9,000 residents in Columbia Heights voted in the Nov 6, 2018, midterm elections, about 78 percent of the City’s total registered voters. That shatters the overall state percentage of 64 percent, which itself was the highest for a midterm election since 2002, according to preliminary estimates from the Secretary of State's Office.

In the City races, all three incumbents—Mayor Donna Schmitt and Council members John Murzyn Jr. and Nick Novitsky—held their seats. Two Columbia Heights ballot questions—one aiming to shift oversight of the police department from the mayor to the City manager, and one aiming to extend the mayoral term from two years to four—did not pass. All three of the Columbia Heights Public Schools bond referendums passed, and school board incumbents Hala Asamarai, Molly Lewis, and Laura J. Palmer held their seats. The District 4 Anoka County commissioner seat was won by Mandy Meisner.

Specific Election Results and Numbers

     Mayor, City Council, and City ballot question results here.

     Anoka County commissioner results here.

     School District ISD 13 school board and referendum results here.

Watch the Mayor, Council, and Commissioner Candidate Forums
Find out what your local candidates had to say on the issues. A candidate forum for mayor, City Council, and county commissioner general election candidates was held 7 pm, Sept 20, at City Hall. The event was sponsored by the League of Women Voters ABC and questions for the candidates were provided by the audience.

     Watch the City council portion of the event here.
 
     Watch the mayoral portion of the event here. 

     Watch the commissioner portion of the event here.

A forum for the primary candidates was held July 18. View video of that forum here.

• Question 1
  Shall the Columbia Heights City Charter be amended to change the mayoral term from a two-year term to a four-year term, with the change being effective January 1, 2021? 

• Question 2
  Under the current city charter, the Police Department is under the control of the Mayor. Shall the Home Rule Charter of the City of Columbia Heights be amended to place control of the Police Department under the City Manager? If approved, this change shall take effect 30 days from the date of the election.

There were three Columbia Heights Public School District ballot questions on the general election ballot:  

• Question 1
  Shall the school board of Independent School District No. 13 (Columbia Heights Public Schools) be authorized to issue its general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $12,476,758 to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the construction of security and safety improvements to the North Park Elementary School facility; the construction and equipping of an addition to that school facility to provide new early childhood and kindergarten classroom space and expanded cafeteria space; the reconfiguration of space in that school facility to provide space for an adequate library; and the construction of improvements at that school parking lot, and bus and parent drop off and pickup areas, and traffic flow improvements at that school site? 

• Question 2
  Shall the school board of Independent School District No. 13 (Columbia Heights Public Schools) be authorized to issue its general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $1,751,538 to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the renovation, remodeling, upgrading, equipping and construction of improvements to the High School Performing Arts space for school programs and for community arts and civic events?
  
• Question 3
  Shall the school board of Independent School District No. 13 (Columbia Heights Public Schools) be authorized to issue its general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $2,785,015 to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the construction and equipping of an addition of the Columbia Heights High School facility to add support spaces for use by the band and instrumental programs?