Mitra Jalali Nelson sworn in as St. Paul City Council member

The 32-year-old will represent the city's Fourth Ward.

September 6, 2018 at 1:46AM

Mitra Jalali Nelson was sworn in as St. Paul's newest City Council member Wednesday morning, giving the seven-member council its first elected female majority.

The mood in the council chambers was giddy as dozens of people, from city staffers to U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., and state Rep. Ilhan Omar, DFL-Minneapolis, filed in to witness Nelson's inauguration.

"I love moments like this where we sort of stop the chaos, stop the hard, ongoing, driving work and take a moment to pause and celebrate incredible accomplishments," said council President Amy Brendmoen.

Nelson, 32, previously worked for Ellison and is the only renter and one of two people of color on the council.

Before the swearing-in, Mayor Melvin Carter, who endorsed Nelson during her campaign, acknowledged the historic transition on the council and in the city as a whole.

"We are all here together to welcome in this next phase for St. Paul," he said.

Nelson won an Aug. 14 special election for the Fourth Ward seat, which Russ Stark left early this year to take a job in Carter's office. Samantha Henningson, Stark's former legislative aide, served as interim council member.

Nelson is joining the council at one of the busiest times of the year. She will weigh in on the 2019 budget and the citywide minimum wage, which Carter has pledged to pass by the end of the year.

After she was sworn in and the crowd leapt up in a joyous standing ovation, Nelson reiterated her campaign pledge to support a $15 minimum wage, as well as to work on housing, transportation and public safety issues.

"I'm here because all of you have gotten me to this point," she said, "and I'm here to do what I said I would do."

Emma Nelson • 612-673-4509

City clerk Shari Moore administered the oath office to new city council member Mitra Jalali Nelson as her campaign manager Garrison McMurtrey and mother Sooki Jalali looked on at St. Paul City Hall. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE ï anthony.souffle@startribune.com New St. Paul City Council member Mitra Jalali Nelson was sworn in as the new Fourth Ward City Council member Wednesday morning City Hall in St. Paul, Minn.
City Clerk Shari Moore swore in Mitra Jalali Nelson in front of her mother, Sooki Jalali, and her campaign manager Garrison McMurtrey. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
New city council member Mitra Jalali Nelson hugged her mother Sooki Jalali after taking the oath of office at St. Paul City Hall.
Mitra Jalali Nelson hugged her mother, Sooki Jalali, after taking the oath of office at St. Paul City Hall. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter joked with U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, a candidate for Minnesota attorney general, ahead of new city council member Mitra Jalali Nelson's swearing in at St. Paul City Hall. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE ï anthony.souffle@startribune.com New St. Paul City Council member Mitra Jalali Nelson was sworn in as the new Fourth Ward City Council member Wednesday morning City Hall in St. Paul, Minn.
Mayor Melvin Carter, left, and U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison talked before Wednesday’s ceremony. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Emma Nelson

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Emma Nelson is a reporter and editor at the Star Tribune.

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