The race for the Hennepin County Board seat representing north Minneapolis became significantly more crowded after Tuesday's filing deadline.
Two former Minneapolis council members, Natalie Johnson Lee and Blong Yang, and Tim Bildsoe, president of the North Loop Neighborhood Association, filed for the District 2 seat. The district, which also includes Plymouth, Golden Valley, St. Anthony and downtown Minneapolis, is an open seat because Commissioner Linda Higgins is retiring.
The two other candidates for the seat are Irene Fernando, who received the DFL endorsement, and Iyob Waldsmayate. Former Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Stenglein dropped out of the race Monday for health reasons.
Johnson Lee served as City Council member for the North Side from 2001 to 2005. Yang, the council's first Hmong council member, served one term representing the North Side before losing his re-election bid in 2017.
In District 3, incumbent Marion Greene will face LaDonna Redmond.
In District 4, incumbent Peter McLaughlin is being challenged by Angela Conley and Megan Kuhl-Stennes, who is endorsed by the Green Party.
DAVID CHANEN
