▁former ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Min ne apolis ▁NA AC P , ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁candidates ▁to ▁begin ▁their ▁campaign , ▁with ▁an ▁announ cement ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁H od ges ▁announced ▁her ▁re - e lection ▁campaign ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁City ▁Council ▁member ▁Jacob ▁Fre y ▁and ▁film maker ▁As war ▁Rah man ▁entered ▁in ▁early ▁January , ▁while ▁State ▁Represent ative ▁Raymond ▁De hn ▁and ▁theatre ▁executive ▁Tom ▁Hoch ▁announced ▁their ▁campaign s ▁in ▁February . ▁David ▁John ▁Wilson , ▁an ▁active ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Far mer - L abor ▁( DF L ) ▁party , ▁entered ▁the ▁race ▁during ▁the ▁candidate ▁fil ing ▁period ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁but ▁he ▁decl ined ▁to ▁identify ▁by ▁party ▁affili ation ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁the ▁stated ▁principle ▁" R ain b ows ▁But ter f lies ▁Un ic orn s ". ▁Ian ▁Sim pson ▁ran ▁under ▁the ▁platform ▁of ▁the ▁Ide a ▁Party , ▁which ▁asks ▁the ▁citizens ▁of ▁Min ne apolis ▁to ▁pitch ▁in ▁their ▁own ▁cre ative ▁solutions ▁for ▁change . ▁ ▁F ormal ▁candidate ▁fil ing ▁began ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁Political ▁parties ▁held ▁c auc uses ▁and ▁convent ions ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁and ▁summer , ▁dec iding ▁whether ▁to ▁end or se ▁a ▁candidate ▁for ▁election . ▁The ▁D FL ▁did ▁not ▁end or se ▁a ▁Min ne