Emily Larson

Emily Larson (born 1973) is an American politician and former mayor of Duluth, Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

Larson was elected mayor of Duluth in November 2015 and inaugurated on January 4, 2016, the first female mayor in the city's history. She won reelection in 2019, but in her run for a third term in 2023, she was defeated. Prior to becoming mayor, she was a member of the Duluth City Council.

Life and education Emily Larson was born and raised in St. Paul, the youngest of three children. Her mother, a poet, and her father, an information technology worker, divorced when she was 10 years old, but both later remarried. She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in social work from the College of St. Scholastica and later earned a Master's Degree from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. A graduate of the Intermedia Arts Creative Community Leadership Institute, Larson served on the advisory committee that developed the Duluth Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP).

She has worked in Duluth for CHUM, a charity assisting homeless people and people at high risk for homelessness, and as a consultant to other non-profit organizations. She owns a small business that specializes in helping non-profits. She succeeded popular mayor Don Ness, who in his second term held a nearly 90% approval rating. Larson was inaugurated on January 4, 2016, during a ceremony at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC).

In 2018, Larson advocated for a new city flag, claiming it would make a strong brand for the city and represent the "city to its people and its people to the world at large." The Flag of Duluth was approved by the city council in 2019.

She was again reelected in November 2019, this time with about 64% of the total votes.

During the November 7th, 2023 elections Larson lost her re-election bid 60-40 percent to Roger Reinert.

Personal life She is married to Doug Zaun, co-owner of Duluth-based design firm Wagner Zaun Architecture, and together they have two sons.

Larson is an active trail runner and fitness enthusiast.

Votes % Votes % Emily Larson

Linda Krug

Tim Riley

Chad Smith

Eric Edwardson

Gareth W. Bates

Write-in

Total

Voters could cast up to two votes

2015 Duluth Mayoral Election CandidatesPrimary(Sep 15)General election(Nov 3)Votes%Votes% Emily Larson 5,456 67.32 15,352 71.94 Chuck Horton 1,505 18.57 5,862 27.47 Howie Hanson 732 9.03 James Mattson 117 2.18 John Socha 111 1.37 John Howard Evans 51 0.63 Thomas Cooper 45 0.56 Robert D. Schieve 27 0.33 Write-in 125 0.59 Total 8,044 100 21,339 100

2019 Duluth Mayoral Election CandidatesPrimary(Aug 13)General election(Nov 5)Votes%Votes% Emily Larson 5,225 66.87 13,340 63.65 David Nolle 992 12.70 7,509 35.83 John Socha 450 5.76 Daniel Weatherly 285 3.65 Donald Raihala 220 2.82 Caleb Anderson 206 2.64 Jesse Peterson 193 2.47 Corey Ford 160 2.05 Doris Queen Lavender 83 1.06 Write-in 110 0.52 Total 7,814 100 20,959 100