When Minneapolis voters answer QUESTION 2 with a YES or a NO, what happens next?
The Mayor and each of the seats on the Minneapolis City Council are up for election on November 2, 2021. In addition to casting their votes for the seats on the City Council, the voters will also decide on whether or not to amend the City Charter by answering three “Yes” or “No” questions on the ballot. The most discussed is QUESTION 2 which, in theory, replaces the Minneapolis Police Department with a Department of Public Safety.
There are an unprecedented number of independent expenditure groups trying to influence public opinion regarding Question 2. Wildly different predictions of what will happen after the election are also being sold to voters.
To help voters gain more information and clarity so they can make a well- informed decision about how to cast their votes, we’ve convened a panel of thoughtful leaders on all sides of the discussion. We invite you to tune in to this informative and engaging conversation.
We have an interesting group of panelists with a variety of viewpoints and life experiences.
Charles Adams served with the Minneapolis Police Department for 20 years, including as a School Resource Officer at North High, before retiring in 2020. He is the head coach of the North High Polars and mentor to many. He is a national leader in positive coaching and teaching life lessons through sports.
Paul Ostrow is an attorney that served on the Minneapolis City Council for 12 years, on the Public Health and Safety Committee and as President. Currently he is a felony prosecutor in the metro area and serves on the board of the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information.
Audua Pugh is the Board Chair of Jordan Area Community Council in North Minneapolis. She has a Masters Degree in Advocacy and Political Leadership from Metropolitan State University. She is one of the “Minneapolis 8” that successfully sued the City of Minneapolis for not providing adequate safety against gun violence.
Jeremiah Ellison serves on the Minneapolis City Council representing North Minneapolis and is one of the chief authors of QUESTION 2. He is also part of the “Minneapolis 9” who stood on stage at Powderhorn Park following the murder of George Floyd and made a commitment to begin the process of creating a transformative model for public safety.
Brandon Williams is a Criminal Justice and Safe Communities Fellow at The Minneapolis Foundation. While earning his B.A. in Political Science from Augsburg University in 2019, Brandon participated in several internships including for a criminal defense attorney. His commitment to strengthening communities that are subject to violence stems from his childhood experiences.