Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender will not seek reelection

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender will not seek a third term, she announced in an email to her constituents Sunday.

Bender, who represents Ward 10, wrote that "with attention turning to our upcoming local elections soon, I want to share more widely that I will not seek re-election to the City Council in 2021. It has been an incredible honor to serve our community and work beside you for the past seven years. When I made the decision not to run for a third term, well before multiple crises hit our city, I was reflecting on all that we have accomplished together. 

"We passed Minnesota’s first earned safe and sick time and $15 minimum wage laws. We completely re-oriented street design to support equitable mobility, safety and sustainability. We secured the land and lease rights needed to reconnect Nicollet Avenue at Lake Street with an opportunity to redevelop the K-Mart site as an asset for equity and connectivity."

To read the full statement, click here.

Mayor Jacob Frey released the folloing statement regarding Bender's announcement: 

Council President Lisa Bender and I arrived at City Hall together. Her work and partnership on issues ranging from urban planning and housing to bicycle transit improvements have helped make Minneapolis a more inclusive city.