Garrison McMurtrey is the first Black man elected to a Minnesota county board

Voters overwhelmingly supported Garrison McMurtrey in Tuesday’s special election to fill the vacant District 3 seat on the Ramsey County Board.

He is the first Black man to be elected to a county board in Minnesota history.

“Last night was a historic election and I’m really honored to be part of this moment,” McMurtrey said.

He received 2,206 votes, or 88%, defeating Joshua Bau, who received 298 votes, or 12%, according to unofficial results from Ramsey County elections officials.

McMurtrey is the district director for Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Bau works as a food shelf manager at Merrick Community Services.

McMurtrey had the DFL Party endorsement and said he would focus on economic justice, housing and eliminating disparities. He grew up in Mississippi and emphasized his experience in both the public and private sectors during the campaign.

“I’m really happy to see my message was able to resonate with folks across the district,” McMurtrey said.

The District 3 seat has been vacant since former Board Chair Trista Martinson resigned over the summer to lead Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy, which manages waste from the two counties.

District 3 includes Falcon Heights and the St. Paul neighborhoods of Payne-Phalen, North End, South Como, Como, Frogtown, Hamline-Midway and St. Anthony Park.

The Ramsey County Board has seven members who oversee a nearly $850 million budget and about 4,000 employees. Commissioners earn $104,077 annually, with the board chair making $109,338.

Ramsey County has 536,000 residents and is Minnesota’s second-largest county.