With approximately 88% of the votes, Garrison McMurtrey is the winner of Tuesday’s special election for Ramsey County District 3 commissioner, with all precincts reporting according to county officials. The results are unofficial until after canvassing Friday.

With a total of 2,206 votes, McMurtrey had a lead over Joshua Bau, who received 298 votes.

“I started and decided to run in this race because I wanted to center economic justice, and that has been what I’ve been trying to really share and provide my vision to the community. And it seems that that has resonated, and I’m proud of the work that my team has done over these last six months to get that message out there,” McMurtrey said Tuesday following the results.

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

For the last two years, McMurtrey has worked as district director for Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig. His priorities if elected would be housing, economic justice and social services, he told the Pioneer Press earlier this month.

“For me, I think that it is important for government to step up and ensure that all of the people in our community have an opportunity and an environment where they can thrive. I think that there are, for Ramsey County, there are a number of disparities that continue to exist, whether that’s in housing or climate action or business development,” McMurtrey said at the time. “And I think it’s important for government to step up and to be that extra resource for folks to ensure that we’re helping people who are the most marginalized, who are the most vulnerable, to ensure that they get a leg up.”

Originally from Mississippi, McMurtrey moved to Minnesota — he now lives in St. Paul — around 10 years ago and attended the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, where he received a master’s in public policy. He has worked on political campaigns and former President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign. McMurtrey also interned with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in Washington, D.C.

Once in Minnesota, McMurtrey worked as an outreach director for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

He’s served on the St. Paul planning commission and charter commission and chaired the St. Paul DFL. McMurtrey is married to DFL state Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten of District 66, which includes St. Paul, Roseville, Falcon Heights and Lauderdale.

McMurtrey’s term will expire at the beginning of 2027, according to county officials. The next county board of commissioners meeting will be Feb. 18, though it is unconfirmed as to whether the new term for the District 3 seat will have begun.

The canvassing board will meet at 9 a.m. Friday at 90 W. Plato Blvd. in St. Paul to certify the results. The meeting is open to the public.

The District 3 seat has been vacant since the departure of District 3 Commissioner Trista Martinson in August. Martinson, whose original term expired at the end of 2026 and who had served as board chair starting in 2022, left the board to lead Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy. Martinson had represented the district since 2019.

McMurtrey will join fellow newcomers District 7 Commissioner Kelly Miller and District 1 Commissioner Tara Jebens-Singh, who joined the seven-seat board in early January.

Results for the race are available at ramseycounty.us/residents/elections-voting/information-reference/election-results.