The far-left progressives of Minneapolis suffered a major defeat on Tuesday night when the city overwhelmingly voted “No” on a measure that would abolish the police department — a measure that Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) supported.
With 130 of 136 precincts reporting, the voters of Minneapolis voted against Question 2 by 57 percent, 76,820 votes versus 59,196 votes in favor. Aiming to be the most extreme anti-police measure to pass in the United States, the amendment would have had the city charter “remove the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a Department of Public Safety,” according to Fox 9. The amendment would also have eliminated the position of police chief as well as the minimum police staffing requirement.
QUESTION 2 FAILS: Minneapolis voters have rejected a ballot question to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new department of public safety: https://t.co/IJVjbjDTY8 pic.twitter.com/TWI6JZrboi
— FOX 9 (@FOX9) November 3, 2021
According to Ballotpedia, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) would have dramatically altered law enforcement in Minneapolis, removing the police department’s minimum funding requirement in a city that has seen a 286 percent increase in carjackings since 2020:
Question 2 would have replaced the Minneapolis Police Department with a new Department of Public Safety (DPS). The DPS would be responsible for “a comprehensive public health approach to safety,” including the employment of licensed police officers if needed to fulfill the department’s responsibilities. A Commissioner of Public Safety would have led the DPS and would have been nominated by the mayor and approved by the city council. The ballot initiative would have also provided for the fire police to be housed with the DPS. Question 2 would have removed the minimum funding requirement for police (0.0017 per resident) from the Minneapolis Charter.
Though Democrat Mayor Jacob Frey opposed the measure, it received enthusiastic support from none other than squad member Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Pop star Lizzo also endorsed the measure.
I am voting NO! on Charter Amendment Question 1, YES! on Question 2, and YES! on Question 3!
We have the chance to move Minneapolis forward in this election. Let’s take it! pic.twitter.com/pCgufcSElG
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 19, 2021
This year the residents of Mpls have asked for and can take that first step of action on the ballot. As a resident of Mpls where George Floyd’s murder sparked a national call for real reform, I will vote Yes for greater public safety & more human rights for all. #Yes4Minneapolis
— Keith Ellison (@keithellison) August 31, 2021
Alright Minneapolis. We are about 2.5 hours away from polls closing and that’s still plenty of time to vote #YesOn2!! pic.twitter.com/izDYaGZhUc
— Black Visions (@BlackVisionsMN) November 2, 2021
The Yes 4 Minneapolis campaign received up to $2.97 million in donations, including $650,000 from the George Soros Open Society Policy Center. Conversely, All of Mpls, the PAC opposed to the measure, received just $1.59 million. Though Gov. Tim Walz (D), and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) publicly opposed the measure, as the vote loomed closer, they refused to openly campaign against it, according to the Star Tribune.
“They would just as soon not get involved in Minneapolis politics and be out front on an issue that’s, no matter what position they take, guaranteed to upset some of their supporters,” said Kathryn Pearson, a University of Minnesota political science professor. “If they were to be actively campaigning, it would also really highlight the divide within the Democratic Party.”
Klobuchar later clarified that she had not been asked to campaign against the measure. “The police chief cannot report to a dozen bosses and I have made my opposition to this amendment clear from the beginning,” she said.
