Melvin Carter (politician)

Melvin Carter (politician). Melvin Carter is an American politician serving as the 46th Mayor of Saint Paul, the capital city of Minnesota. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, he was first elected in 2017, becoming the first African American mayor in the city's history. His administration has focused on initiatives around affordable housing, public safety reform, and early childhood education.

Early life and education

Melvin Carter was born and raised in the Rondo neighborhood of Saint Paul, Minnesota, a historically African-American community. His father, Melvin Carter Jr., was a Saint Paul Police Department officer and city council member, while his mother, Tracy L. Carter, worked as a teacher in the Saint Paul Public Schools district. Carter attended Central High School before pursuing higher education at Florida A&M University, a prominent historically black university, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He later obtained a Master of Public Administration from the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

Career before politics

Before entering electoral politics, Carter built a career in public policy and community engagement. He served as an aide to Minnesota State Senator Mee Moua, the first Hmong American elected to a state legislature. Carter later worked as a policy aide for Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, focusing on economic development initiatives. He also held a position as a policy director for the Minnesota Department of Education under Commissioner Alice Seagren, working on strategies to close the state's academic achievement gap. His work extended to the nonprofit sector, including roles with the Saint Paul Foundation and the YWCA St. Paul.

Political career

Carter's political career began with his election to the Saint Paul City Council in 2007, representing Ward 1. During his tenure on the council, he chaired the Saint Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority and served on the Metropolitan Council's Transportation Advisory Board. He was a vocal advocate for the Central Corridor light-rail project, which became the Green Line. After two terms, he left the council in 2013 to serve as Executive Director of the Minnesota Children's Cabinet, an appointment made by Governor Mark Dayton. In this role, he coordinated early childhood policy across multiple state agencies.

Mayor of Saint Paul

Elected mayor in the 2017 Saint Paul mayoral election, Carter took office in January 2018. A key early achievement was the passage of the Saint Paul Residential Rent Stabilization Ordinance in 2021, a voter-approved policy capping rent increases. His administration launched the CollegeBound Saint Paul program, offering college savings accounts for city children, and the People's Prosperity Guaranteed Income Pilot. On public safety, he established the Office of Neighborhood Safety and navigated the city's response to the Murder of George Floyd and subsequent civil unrest. He was re-elected decisively in the 2021 Saint Paul mayoral election. His tenure has also involved significant economic development projects, including the redevelopment of the RiverCentre district and securing funding for the Gold Line bus rapid transit project.

Personal life

Carter is married to Dr. Sakeena M. Carter, a dentist and public health advocate. The couple has four children and resides in the Frogtown neighborhood. He is a member of the National League of Cities and has served on its board of directors. Carter is also a deacon at his family's church, First Baptist Church in Rondo. His personal story and policy work are chronicled in his book, "Saint Paul: The Life of a City and Its People." Category:1979 births Category:American city mayors Category:Mayors of Saint Paul, Minnesota Category:Living people Category:Florida A&M University alumni Category:University of Minnesota alumni