Former state Sen. Nicole Mitchell filed Tuesday to run for Woodbury City Council just a year after her conviction on felony burglary charges.
Last August, Mitchell resigned from the Legislature after a Becker County jury found her guilty of breaking into her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home in 2024. She received a six-month jail sentence last September, which she was allowed to serve closer to home.
While she was a DFLer in the state Senate, Mitchell is making a political comeback attempt for what is technically a nonpartisan office.
“I really love the community, and there's so many great things: our parks, our people, our schools. But I think if you really care about something, there's always room for improvement,” Mitchell told MPR News. “Growing up here and being a member of the community, and then during my time at the state Legislature there were things I saw that were room for improvement.”
Mitchell said she’s forthcoming about her burglary sentence when voters ask her about it. She said most people are empathetic when it comes up.
“I do think we're in a time where people just understand that politics has gotten so extreme that there is an attempt to criminalize certain people,” Mitchell said. “And while I absolutely handled the situation wrong, I really appreciate the people that look past that and kind of understand the full context, and are still willing to support me.”
Mitchell still has a pending appeal of the conviction. Additional legal filings are due in the case by Aug. 11, meaning a final decision by the Court of Appeals is likely months away.
Mitchell’s campaign website says she’ll focus on clean water issues and transparency in city decisions. She said she wants to put the brakes on AI data centers in the city unless there is public input.
Multiple candidates are running for at-large seats in the growing eastern suburb.
Prior to winning her seat in the Legislature, Mitchell was a meteorologist at KSTP-TV and MPR News. She also served in the National Guard, leaving in 2024 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
