Jerome Christenson
MN · Winona City Council Member, At-Large
Jerome Christenson is an at-large member of the Winona City Council and worked about 40 years as a local journalist at the Winona Daily News and Winona Post. His priorities include police and fire station needs, the city's comprehensive plan goals, and housing.
Where Jerome Christenson stands, based on their records
Supports
Public Safety and Crime Control (3 records), Social Programs and Welfare (1 record), Public Infrastructure (4 records)
Opposes
Environment and Public Health (1 record), Government Efficiency (1 record), Government Spending Reduction (6 records)
Mixed record
Housing Affordability (4 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 1 oppose
Voted against a city no-smoking ordinance for places like parks, calling it a solution in search of a problem. It failed 5-2.
January 30, 2026Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: winonapost.com
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 1 oppose
Cast the only vote against seeking competing bids to run the city-owned Boat House restaurant building. It passed 6-1.
April 21, 2025Opposes Government Efficiency
Source: winonapost.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 6 oppose
Voted to adopt the preliminary 2027 city budget with a 13.4% property tax levy increase. It passed 5-2.
September 20, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: winonapost.com
Voted to move ahead with more design work on a $69 million police-fire station. It passed 5-2.
July 22, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: winonapost.com
Voted to raise city council members' salaries by more than 23%. It passed 5-2.
October 29, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: winonapost.com
Voted against keeping the mayor and council salaries flat. The freeze passed 4-3.
September 16, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: winonapost.com
Voted to add $100,000 for parks and recreation to the city tax levy to start on park repairs. It passed 4-2.
September 9, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: winonapost.com
Spoke strongly for spending an extra $1 million on a new heating and cooling system for the city-owned Masonic Temple Theatre. The council approved it.
August 2, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: winonapost.com
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 3 support
Voted to move ahead with more design work on a $69 million police-fire station. It passed 5-2.
July 22, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: winonapost.com
Voted for an updated design contract for a new police-fire station estimated at $65-76 million. It passed 5-2.
December 3, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: winonapost.com
Voted to approve a chaplain program to support police officers, their families, and people after traumatic events. It passed 6-1.
March 12, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: winonapost.com
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 4 support · 1 oppose
Voted to allow new housing in light-industrial zones for the first time. It passed 6-1.
June 12, 2026Supports Housing Affordability
Source: winonapost.com
Voted for new short-term rental rules that require space between Airbnbs and ease parking rules. They passed 6-1.
December 23, 2025Supports Housing Affordability
Source: winonapost.com
Voted against limiting backyard rental units (ADUs) to owner-occupied homes, saying the city must embrace change to add housing. The limit failed 4-3.
June 27, 2025Supports Housing Affordability
Source: winonapost.com
Voted to rezone a home lot near Hy-Vee for a new restaurant and auto shop. The 4-3 vote fell short of the votes needed.
August 9, 2024Opposes Housing Affordability
Source: winonapost.com
Voted to let a developer build a 63-unit riverfront apartment building 56.5 feet tall, above the 40-foot limit. It passed 5-2.
April 26, 2023Supports Housing Affordability
Source: winonapost.com
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 1 support
Voted to change the land-use plan so a homeless shelter could open at St. Casimir's. The 4-3 vote fell short of the 5 votes needed.
November 19, 2025Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: winonapost.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 4 support
Voted to move ahead with more design work on a $69 million police-fire station. It passed 5-2.
July 22, 2026Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: winonapost.com
Voted for an updated design contract for a new police-fire station estimated at $65-76 million. It passed 5-2.
December 3, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: winonapost.com
Voted to add $100,000 for parks and recreation to the city tax levy to start on park repairs. It passed 4-2.
September 9, 2024Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: winonapost.com
Spoke strongly for spending an extra $1 million on a new heating and cooling system for the city-owned Masonic Temple Theatre. The council approved it.
August 2, 2023Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: winonapost.com
Track record — General
General · 8 records
Cast the only vote against limiting a new parks commission to the Latsch lands; he wanted it to advise on all city parks.
February 25, 2026
Source: winonapost.com
Voted to let a cannabis store open closer to homes than normally allowed, after neighbors appealed. It passed 4-3.
September 15, 2025
Source: winonapost.com
Cast the only vote against renaming the Masonic Temple Theatre as The ARC, saying the name ignored the building's history.
August 22, 2025
Source: winonapost.com
Voted against capping Winona at three cannabis stores in early December 2024, then voted to remove the cap. The repeal passed 6-1.
December 24, 2024
Source: winonapost.com
Voted to waive the city license fee for secondhand dealers to encourage them to follow new rules. It failed 4-3.
June 19, 2024
Source: winonapost.com
Backed closing both pedestrian railroad crossings for safety, and voted against a plan to close only one. That plan passed 4-3.
May 20, 2024
Source: winonapost.com
Voted against cutting the city permit fee for removing invasive plants on the bluffs from $225 to $10. It passed 4-3.
January 12, 2024
Source: winonapost.com
Won the at-large Winona City Council seat with 4,805 votes (55%), defeating incumbent Michelle Alexander.
November 8, 2022
Source: winonapost.com
Past race Jerome Christenson ran in:
- City Council Member At-Large · November 3, 2026 · Winona city, Minnesota · incumbent