First-time candidate Soren Stevenson was leading Minneapolis City Council President Andrea Jenkins on Tuesday – a potentially watershed moment for progressives seeking to gain a majority.

Unofficial results Tuesday evening suggested many incumbents would be re-elected but several races could not be called. An open seat in the Seventh Ward was a dead heat between Katie Cashman and Scott Graham.

Under the city’s ranked-choice voting system, winners in some races weren’t expected to be decided until Wednesday at the earliest. No winner is declared without more than 50% of the votes.

All 13 seats were on the ballot, and while Mayor Jacob Frey won’t stand for re-election for another two years, the future of his agenda — as compared with that of a more progressive crop of candidates — was at stake.

With key races not yet decided, the council’s new balance was still unclear, but a progressive majority seemed possible under several scenarios.

The results could have implications for a range of issues from homeless encampments to sidewalk shoveling to public safety funding and oversight.

Of particular interest: the contest in the Eighth Ward, where Jenkins, a trailblazing Black transgender woman, faced a stiff challenge from Stevenson, a 29-year-old white activist who wrested the DFL endorsement from Jenkins on a message that she’s not liberal enough.

Eighth Ward: Stevenson leads Jenkins

With all precincts reporting, Stevenson had 45% of the vote to Jenkins’ 43%. Any attempt to glean how second-choice votes might land would be speculative because of how the data is reported.

Stevenson came onto the public stage during protests following George Floyd’s murder, when a police-fired projectile destroyed one of his eyes. He earned the endorsement of the Twin Cities chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, an ascendant group in Minneapolis politics that endorsed five council candidates.

Jenkins gained national prominence in 2017 when she became the first openly trans woman elected to public office. While she was a loud voice in calling for police reform and racial justice, she found herself on the defensive as Stevenson accused her of not achieving any real results.

Candidates Terry White and Robert Sullentrop were also on the ballot.

12th Ward: Aurin Chowdhury wins

Another high-stakes race was a three-way contest in the 12th Ward, where Council Member Andrew Johnson didn’t seek re-election.

The DFL-endorsed candidate, Aurin Chowdhury, won with 54% of the votes over Luther Ranheim, a Frey-aligned candidate with 37%. Candidate Nancy Ford won 10% of first-choice votes.

Seventh Ward: Katie Cashman, Scott Graham tied

The open seat in the Seventh Ward, where Council Member Lisa Goodman is stepping down after 26 years, featured another high-profile contest.

Self-described “pragmatic Democrat” Scott Graham was in a dead heat with Katie Cashman, who earned the endorsement of Mpls for the Many, an group seeking to elect a “true progressive majority” to the council.

Both candidates had 48%, meaning the second-choice votes of candidate Kenneth Foxworth could be decisive.

First Ward: Elliott Payne wins

Council Member Elliott Payne, cruised to victory with 90% of the votes over socialist Edwin Fruit in the First Ward.

Second Ward: Robin Wonsley wins

Council Member Robin Wonsley, the most outspoken Democratic Socialist on the council, was unopposed on the ballot in the Second Ward and garnered 68% of the votes. Michael Baskins mounted a write-in campaign.

Third Ward: Michael Rainville wins

Council Member Michael Rainville defeated local organizer Marcus Mills in downtown’s Third Ward, 69% to 30%.

Fourth Ward: LaTrisha Vetaw wins

Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw won with 69% in northwest Minneapolis’ Fourth Ward. Her challengers were Marvina Haynes, Angela Williams and Leslie Davis.

Fifth Ward: Jeremiah Ellison wins

Council Member Jeremiah Ellison, part of the council’s progressive wing, won in the Fifth Ward with 53% in a rematch against Victor Martinez, one of the most serious conservative candidates in any race, who received 41%.

First-time candidate Phillip Peterson also mounted a campaign.

Sixth Ward: Jamal Osman leading

Council Member JamalOsman was leading several challengers in the Sixth Ward, but the race appeared likely to be decided Wednesday.

With all precincts reporting, Osman had 45%; Kayseh Magan, a former Medicaid fraud investigator in the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, had 30%; Tiger Worku, a former Seward Neighborhood Group president who left under controversy, had 22%; Republican Guy T. Gaskin had 3%.

Ninth Ward: Jason Chavez wins

First-term Council Member Jason Chavez was re-elected in the Ninth Ward against Dan Orban, a software engineer, by a 79%-to-20% margin.

Tenth Ward: Aisha Chughtai wins

First-term Council Member Aisha Chughtai won in her bid for a second term representing the 10th Ward. Chughtai had 61%, while challengers Bruce Dachis had 27%, Nasri Warsame had 10% and Greg Kline had 2%.

11th Ward: Emily Koski wins

First-term Council Member Emily Koski, a moderate, won with 88% over Socialist Gabrielle Prosser in south Minneapolis’ 11th Ward.

13th Ward: Linea Palmisano wins

Council Vice President Linea Palmisano, a moderate first elected in 2013, defeated fellow moderate Kate Mortenson in southwest Minneapolis’ 13th Ward. Palmisano had 66% to Mortenson’s 24%.

Zach Metzger and Bob “Again” Carney were also on the ballot.