Minneapolis Voters Pick School Board Amid Closures
Families in Districts 1, 3, and 5 will help decide whether the district revives plans to close schools.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Administration
Live Poll
Do you trust Minneapolis's school board to handle budget cuts and closures?
Minneapolis voters are electing at least three new school board members on Nov. 3, after Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams shelved proposals to close up to 16 schools next year. The district faces years of budget cuts, declining enrollment, and a building portfolio designed for a much larger district.
Why it matters
The outcome will shape which schools stay open and how the district spends its shrinking budget, which affects families choosing a neighborhood school. The superintendent cited community feedback that the closure timeline was too fast, so the new board will inherit a decision that has been paused rather than settled.
Voters will elect two at-large members and fill seats in Districts 1, 3, and 5, with incumbent Abdul Abdi facing Ben Lattimore in District 1. Polling places close at 8 p.m., and results will update about every 10 minutes through the evening.
The players
Lisa Sayles-Adams
Minneapolis Public Schools superintendent who shelved the proposals to close up to 16 schools after community feedback that the timeline was too fast.
Abdul Abdi
Incumbent Minneapolis school board member seeking reelection in District 1 against Ben Lattimore.
Collin Beachy
Incumbent Minneapolis school board member running for one of two at-large seats.
The details
The school board is elected by district and at-large seats, so voters in each part of Minneapolis choose a representative while two citywide seats are open. Joyner Emerick, the at-large member, is not running again, and Lori Norvell is leaving the District 5 seat. Shannon Gibney is unopposed in District 3, while Lucie Skjefte, who was appointed to a temporary vacancy there, is not seeking election.
Timeline
Oct. 13, 2026: Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams shelved proposals to close up to 16 schools next year.
Nov. 3, 2026: Minneapolis voters go to the polls, which close at 8 p.m. local time.
Next year: The proposed school closures would have taken effect.
The Home Front
Minneapolis is working through a district that has been cutting its budget year after year while enrollment falls. Its building portfolio was designed for a much larger student population, which is why closures have been on the table.
If your child attends one of the schools on the closure list, check the district's school-by-school information once the new board takes its seats. Families in District 1, 3, or 5 should look at which candidates are on their ballot before Election Day.
The takeaway
The people you elect to the school board will decide whether a shrinking district keeps its buildings or consolidates them. Check your polling place and ballot before Nov. 3, since the votes decide who is at the table when closures return.
What happens next
Results will be updated roughly every 10 minutes on election night as polls close at 8 p.m., and the newly elected members will take their seats as the board weighs the closure question again.
Further reading
For more on how school district leadership makes these calls, see Administration in our education coverage.
Live Poll
Do you trust Minneapolis's school board to handle budget cuts and closures?
