Emily Koski
Emily Koski | |
|---|---|
 Koski in 2024 | |
| Member of the Minneapolis City Council from the 11th Ward | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Jeremy Schroeder |
| Constituency | Ward 11 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Emily Hofstede 1978 (age 46–47) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Mike |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Albert Hofstede (father) |
| Education | University of Saint Thomas |
Emily Hofstede Koski is an American businesswoman and politician from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Koski has served on the Minneapolis City Council, representing the 11th Ward in South Minneapolis, since 2022, and is running for mayor of Minneapolis in 2025.
Early life and family
[edit]Koski was born in Minneapolis to Albert Hofstede, then the mayor of Minneapolis, and Barbara Hofstede. Her mother died of breast cancer when Koski was eight years old; her father remarried, and her stepmother adopted her.[1] Her father served as mayor for two terms, from 1974 to 1975 and from 1978 to 1979. Her aunt, Diane Hofstede, was a city council member from 2005 to 2013.[2] Her first job was at Target.[3]
Political career
[edit]Emily Koski began her political career with a run for Minneapolis City Council in 2021. During her 2021 campaign, she opposed rent control and proposals to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a Department of Public Safety, positioning herself as a moderate in alignment with incumbent mayor Jacob Frey.[4] She was elected in the first round of ranked choice voting, defeating incumbent Jeremy Schroeder, who ran in favor of the Department of Public Safety.[5][6][7] In her first term, Koski largely voted with the moderate majority alongside then-council president Andrea Jenkins and vice president Linea Palmisano.[8] One such vote was against a pause on homeless encampment evictions in 2022.[9]
Koski was re-elected in 2023 with 88.36% of the first-round vote against Socialist Workers Party candidate Gabrielle Prosser.[10] In the beginning of 2024, she became the vice-chair of the Budget Committee and of the Climate and Infrastructure Committee.[11]
In her second term, she gained attention as the council's most frequent swing vote.[12] Koski opposed some of Frey's moderate positions on matters including police bonuses, relocation of the third police precinct, and redevelopment of the former Roof Depot site in the East Phillips neighborhood. [13] In March 2024, she changed her vote on an ordinance establishing minimum wage for rideshare drivers, overriding Frey's veto.[14] That October, her letter criticizing the delayed MPD response to the shooting of a Minneapolis resident by his neighbor again broke with Frey and gained media attention.[15] By December, her vote was pivotal in overriding Frey's mayoral veto of the 2025 budget.[16] Frey-aligned PAC All of Mpls, which endorsed her past City Council campaigns, removed her from their marketing materials during this term.[17]
On December 4, 2024, Koski announced her candidacy for mayor in the 2025 mayoral election.[18][19] In her campaign, she has emphasized collaboration between the Mayor's office and the city council as a priority.[3]
Personal life
[edit]Koski lives in South Minneapolis with her husband Mike.[1] She has two children.[17]
Electoral history
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Emily Koski | 7,789 | 58.33 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Jeremy Schroeder (incumbent) | 4,049 | 30.32 | |
| Independent | Kurt Michael Anderson | 695 | 5.20 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Dillon Gherna | 455 | 3.41 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Albert T. Ross | 345 | 2.58 | |
| Write-in | 21 | 0.16 | ||
| Total votes | 13,877 | 100.0 | ||
| Source: Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services[6] | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Emily Koski | 5,259 | 88.36 | |
| Socialist Workers | Gabrielle Prosser | 460 | 7.73 | |
| Write-in | 233 | 3.91 | ||
| Total votes | 5,952 | 100.0 | ||
| Source: Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services[10] | ||||
References
[edit]- ^ a b Mulrooney Eldred, Sheila (June 16, 2007). "Honoring two moms". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Kolls, Jay (November 23, 2021). "2 newly-elected Minneapolis City Council members have family roots at City Hall". KSTP News. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ a b DeYoe, Alexandra (February 3, 2025). "Mayoral campaign Q&A with Emily Koski". Minnesota Daily. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ^ "'The eyes of the country will be on Minneapolis' | Political analyst predicts significant shift in city council after election". KARE news. December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- ^ "What the Ward 11 results will tell us about the future of Minneapolis". Axios Twin Cities. October 13, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Minneapolis, City of (November 15, 2022). "2021 Minneapolis City Council election results - Ward 11". City of Minneapolis. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- ^ "Two Minneapolis City Council incumbents defeated in election defined by debate over policing, public safety". MinnPost. November 3, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- ^ Stokes, Kyle (May 2, 2023). "Who votes with whom on the Minneapolis City Council? As election season heats up, a look at the current balance of power". MinnPost. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Birnstengel, Grace (October 20, 2022). "Minneapolis City Council declines pausing homeless encampment evictions". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ a b "2023 Minneapolis City Council election results". Source: Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Minneapolis, City of (January 8, 2024). "City Council organizes for new term". City of Minneapolis. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Stokes, Kyle (February 12, 2025). "How the Minneapolis City Council voted — and what it means for the mayor". Axios Twin Cities. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ^ Haltzer, Nick. "Emily Koski breaks from Mayor Jacob Frey as one of his top city council allies". Axios Twin Cities. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Godfrey, Courtney (October 29, 2024). "Minneapolis PD chief pledges full review of neighbor shooting". Fox 9 KMSP. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Timar-Wilcox, Estelle (December 12, 2024). "Minneapolis City Council overrides mayor's veto of 2025 budget". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ^ a b Cassel, Em (February 12, 2025). "Let's Taco 'Bout Politics: Racket's Mayoral Mexican Food Interview With Candidate Emily Koski". Racket. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ^ Nace, Aki (December 4, 2024). "Minneapolis City Councilmember Emily Koski announces mayoral run". WCCO News. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Winter, Deena (December 4, 2024). "Minneapolis City Council Member Emily Koski announces mayoral run". Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved December 4, 2024.