Historic preservation committee endorses Coleman and Will in Ward 4 special election

Molly Coleman and Carolyn Will were endorsed on Monday, July 21, for the Ward 4 Special Election by the SP Historic Preservation Political Committee (SP HPPC).
 
The special election will be held Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025 to fill the vacancy on the St. Paul City Council by the resignation of Mitra Jalali. 
 
Paul Hardt, secretary/treasurer of the political committee, announced the endorsement. "We felt that both Coleman and Will had strengths that would help the residents of ward 4." He went on to explain, "Coleman has mounted a strong campaign. She has expressed support for historic preservation, and made several practical, specific recommendations for how to preserve historic structures in St. Paul. Will also is running a strong campaign. Her leadership of SARPA (Summit Avenue Residential Preservation Association), and her understanding of how preservation can contribute to economic growth were strong points."
 
The candidates were endorsed after a rigorous process of interviews, answering questions online, as well as attending a candidates forum. Cole Hanson participated in all phases of the process, but was not endorsed. A fourth candidate, Chauntyll Allen, did not participate in the vetting process. 
 
Both candidates were endorsed and will receive financial contributions from the SP HPPC. The special election is a ranked choice voting election. 
 
The SP Historic Preservation Political Committee is a "political committee," as defined by Minnesota Campaign Finance law. The committee has three elements to its mission: voter education about the importance of preserving historic buildings and other structures in St. Paul, advocate for historic preservation projects in the city, and support political candidates who support historic preservation. The committee can collect and disburse contributions to candidates. 
 
The committee's Facebook page is SP Historic Preservation Political Committee.