Two St. Paul residents vying for vacant Ramsey County Board seat

Voters in Falcon Heights and a swath of St. Paul will pick their next Ramsey County commissioner in a special election on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

District 3 has been vacant since former Board Chair Trista Martinson resigned over the summer to lead Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy, which manages waste from the two counties. Martinson was first elected in 2019 and became board chair in 2022.

District 3 includes Falcon Heights and the St. Paul neighborhoods of Payne-Phalen, North End, South Como, Como, Frogtown, Hamline-Midway and St. Anthony Park.

Vying to replace Martinson are Garrison McMurtrey, the district director for Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, and Joshua Bau, a food shelf manager at Merrick Community Services.

The Ramsey County Board has seven members who oversee a nearly $850 million budget and about 4,000 employees. Commissioners earn $104,077 annually, with the board chair making $109,338,

Ramsey County has 536,000 residents and is Minnesota’s second largest county.

The Minnesota Star Tribune asked Bau and McMurtrey about their candidacies. Below are their written responses:

McMurtrey: I’m honored to be the DFL and labor endorsed candidate in this race, and I’m running to center economic justice at the county. Whether it’s housing or climate action, it all feeds into the economic vitality of our community. We must be bold and laser-focused in addressing disparities that exist. I’m running so that we center this work and build for future generations.

Bau: I’ve lived and worked in the East Side of St. Paul since 2012. I feel this neighborhood is particularly special because of how tight-knit the community is and how many different voices are represented. I’ve spent time with small-business owners, chefs, fellow nonprofit workers and community leaders to learn what my neighbors require, and I would be honored to represent them on a political level.

Bau: My current and previous job running food shelves had me working directly with our neighborhood’s most vulnerable residents. I’ve spent time getting to know them and finding out what they need not only for security but to thrive for themselves and their families.

McMurtrey: My work in both the public and private sectors, passion for public policy and vision for helping my community thrive prepares me to be an effective member of the County Board from day one. Additionally, my lived experience of growing up in Mississippi and relying on county services brings a crucial perspective beneficial to this role.

McMurtrey: Ramsey County has more work to do to create a thriving community. We are in a deficit of 15,000 deeply affordable housing. We must prioritize the development of affordable housing. There is also an opportunity along key corridors to invest in a multimodal transportation infrastructure to spur economic growth and connect our communities. Finally, our services must be responsive to the community.

Bau: I think the board should take a look at budgets to lower property taxes, find a more efficient way for snow removal, find a holistic way to care for our unhoused neighbors and focus on safety and accessibility for public transit.

Early voting is already underway at the county election office, 90 Plato Blvd., St. Paul. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Find your polling place on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office website.