Minneapolis school board turns to coin flip to fill vacant District 3 seat

The Minneapolis school board on Tuesday night appointed Lucie Skjefte, chair of the district’s American Indian Parent Advisory Committee, to fill the vacant District 3 board seat in the city’s center.

Her selection ultimately came down to chance.

Skjefte emerged from earlier ranked-choice voting in a tie with Fatimah Hussein, and the two then deadlocked, 4 to 4, in a live board vote before a coin was flipped in Skjefte’s favor.

They were among four finalists to succeed Faheema Feerayarre, who resigned in September, too late for the seat to be placed on the November ballot.

The move throws two new members into the mix as the school board works to erase an anticipated budget deficit and dig into a “transformation process” that could include closing and merging schools.

Greta Callahan, a former president of the teachers chapter of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers, won election last week to the District 6 seat.

During an appearance before board members last Thursday, Skjefte, who is a Red Lake tribal member, spoke of her work as an Indigenous graphics designer and as director of operations for the Mni Sota Fund, a community development group that seeks to empower Native people.

She said she’d aim to “reach out and create spaces for every voice, especially for those from historically marginalized communities.”

Investments in the district’s English language learners should be a priority, Skjefte added.

Asked for ideas on how to resolve the district’s “budget crisis,” she said she’d advocate for state funding increases and explore partnerships with local businesses and community organizations.

She plans to seek election to the seat in November 2026, she said.

Hussein is a district parent, 2006 Roosevelt High School graduate and community organizer who’s worked to level the playing field for Muslim girls in sports.

The other finalists were Christin Crabtree, a parent active in the group Minneapolis Families for Public Schools, and Michael Dueñes, a former college dean and at-large school board candidate.