Step 1: Choose an office
There are many local offices with different responsibilities and potential impacts. They are also elected in different years. Below is a list of some of those offices.
- Ward council member – Represents a defined geographical area of the city, called a ward, on the city council. Ward council members live in the ward they represent and are elected by eligible voters who also live in their ward. There are four wards in St. Louis Park. Ward council member offices will be on the ballot in 2029, and they are elected to four-year terms using the ranked-choice voting method.
- At large council member and mayor – Represents the whole city on the city council. They can live anywhere in the city and are elected by all eligible voters in the city. There are two at large council members, who serve separately as the A and B members. The mayor, in addition to serving on the council as a voting member, also performs ceremonial and official duties on behalf of the city. These offices will be on the ballot in 2027, and they are elected to four-year terms using the ranked-choice voting method.
- School board member – Represents a school district as a member of the school board. School board members live in and are elected by eligible voters who live in their school district. They are elected to four-year terms using the traditional method of voting in which the candidates receiving the most votes are elected. School board offices are not elected using ranked-choice voting. Terms are staggered so that half the members of the board are elected every two years. The next election for school board will occur in 2027. You may file with the City of St. Louis Park to run for ISD 283 (St. Louis Park Public Schools) school board member. If you live in either the Hopkins or Edina school district, you should contact your district for filing information.
- Other offices – Elected in even year elections, with the next in 2026, these offices can include state offices such as governor, representative or senator, county offices such as commissioner, sheriff or attorney, or federal offices such representative, senator or president. Candidate filing for federal, state and county offices are administered by either Hennepin County or the Secretary of State.
Step 2: Know your district
Depending on the office you want to run for, you may represent a ward, school district or a whole city. Each have geographic boundaries, and there are limits on which offices you can run for depending on where you live.
If you live in a particular ward and would like to serve on the city council, you should first find out which ward you live in. If you plan to run to be a school board member, pay special attention to the boundaries of the districts because they are different from city, ward and legislative districts.
You can request a paper copy of a district map from the city. The first map (size 8.5" x 11") is free, and additional copies can be provided at cost within a reasonable limit.
Step 3: Request a candidate toolkit
The City of St. Louis Park offers toolkits to candidates for local office (mayor, council member or school board member). A toolkit is a collection of resources for candidates including: official forms, candidate guides, campaign finance reporting materials, election administration information and voter outreach materials such as voter registration and absentee ballot applications. Toolkits don't include any promotional material. Candidate toolkits are available at city hall or upon request to elections staff.
The contents of a toolkit can also be downloaded piece by piece if you only need certain parts or want to avoid printed copies. View the 'resources for candidates' menu below for more information.
Step 4: Collect signatures and prepare to file
To become a candidate on the ballot for a municipal office (mayor or city council), the city charter requires you to file a nominating petition. The petition must be substantially similar to the format outlined in the city charter and must include a minimum of 50 signatures from eligible (registered) voters in the district you plan to run in who have not already signed a petition for another candidate for the same office. Signatures may only be collected during the filing period. Signatures are verified by local election officials at the time of filing to ensure the petition is valid. It is best practice to collect more than the minimum number of signatures required in case some are found to be invalid.
An affidavit of candidacy is also required to file for office. This is a one-page form that collects basic information about a candidate, including your name, residential address, office sought, phone number, and campaign contact information. After verification by city elections staff, the affidavit is submitted to election officials at the county and the state.
A committee or a candidate must submit an initial campaign finance report to the city clerk within 14 days after the candidate or committee receives or spends more than $750 in a year they are a candidate. This means whenever you collect or spend $750, your first report is due. After that, you need to file regular reports based on the requirements in state law.
Step 5: File for office
The candidate filing period for state and federal offices scheduled to be on the ballot in 2026 is May 19 - June 2, 2026. Learn more about how to file for state and federal offices here.
The candidate filing period for the offices of mayor, at-large council member and ISD No. 283 school board member will take place July 13 - July 27, 2027.
Learn more about how to file for office under "how to file for office section" of the main become a candidate page.
