A judge ruled Friday that the Minneapolis Democratic-Farmer-Labor Ward 2 convention should go on as scheduled on Saturday after a lawsuit filed this week by two delegates sought to force the DFL to reschedule it to a previously selected date of June 1.
Hennepin County District Judge Karen Janisch found that most delegates already have been notified that the convention would be happening Saturday at the Rarig Center and that, according to the Minneapolis DFL bylaws, conventions, once called, may not be canceled except in extraordinary circumstances.
“Issuance of a [temporary restraining order] would cancel a ward convention for which hundreds of delegates have been selected based on the date and given notice of the date as May 3, 2025,” the judge wrote.
“It is likely a significant number of delegates and/or alternates would appear at the Rarig Center expecting to participate in the convention on May 3, 2025. There is a significant likelihood a last minute change ordered through the courts would cause confusion, chaos and potential anger in those appearing,” she wrote.
The lawsuit, filed by Anthony Scallon and Karen Karkula, two members of the Minneapolis DFL Ward 2 Committee, contended that incumbent Council Member Robin Wonsley was trying to interfere with the process and the June 1 convention should stand. It alleged she has tried to block the DFL’s endorsement of “a strong candidate” in the race so she can campaign without party opposition.
Wonsley is a democratic Socialist who has not sought the DFL endorsement, but she has pushed for the earlier May 3 convention, saying moving it to June “blatantly disenfranchises many residents,” particularly University of Minnesota students who will have left campus for summer break by then.
The DFL originally scheduled the Ward 2 convention for May 3, but the lawsuit claims the turnout for the Ward 2 precinct caucus was so high that the planned location for its convention was deemed too small, and the party was unable to find a big enough venue on that day.
After consulting with the Minneapolis DFL Executive Committee, chair Conrad Zbikowski canceled the May 3 convention and rescheduled it for June 7 at the McNamara Alumni Center on the University of Minnesota campus, the lawsuit says. After learning that is the date of the Muslim holiday Eid, Zbikowski rescheduled the convention to June 1.
