Charles S. A. Stenvig

Background

Stenvig, Charles S. was born on January 16, 1928 in Minneapolis. Son of Selmer and Myrtle (Lee) Stenvig.

Education

Stenvig attended Augsburg College and received a degree in sociology.

Career

Stenvig was a police officer with the Minneapolis Police Department before and after his service as mayor. Stenvig was an independent politician who espoused a "law and order" platform amid the social unrest of the late 1960s and early 1970s. At the time, Stenvig was compared to other law-and-order mayors such as Sam Yorty in Los Angeles and Frank Rizzo in Philadelphia.

After graduation, he joined the Minneapolis Police Department.

Stenvig worked his way up to the rank of detective, working with the burglary squad, prior to entering Minneapolis politics. In 1969, Stenvig entered the mayoral election as an independent candidate.

DFL Mayor Arthur Naftalin had declined to run for a fifth term as mayor and the race for the open seat attracted several candidates. Stenvig ran an unconventional campaign for mayor that relied on limited funds and volunteer labor.

After winning a three-way primary election, forcing out DFL candidate Gerard Hegstrom, he went on to defeat the Republican candidate, 7th Ward alderman and Council President Dan Cohen in the general election.

Stenvig received 62 percent of the vote in the election, surprising many veteran political observers in the city. Stenvig was re-elected in 1971 when he defeated Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) candidate West. Harry Davis by a wide margin. In the 1973 election, Stenvig lost to DFL candidate Albert Hofstede.

Stenvig lost to Hofstede again in 1977.

In 1978, he lost the Republican primary for Minnesota secretary of state. In 1979, Stenvig ran again for mayor and lost to Donald M. Fraser.

In 1982, Stenvig ran for Hennepin County Sheriff and lost. The Stenvig family lost 422–0.

After retiring from the police department, Stenvig moved to Arizona around 1990 and died there on February 22, 2010.

Achievements

• Charles S. Stenvig has been listed as a noteworthy mayor by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Served with Army of the United States, 1946-1947, PTO. Member International Conference Police Association (vice president 1966-1969, award 1970), Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars (Gold medal of merit 1972, national security committee), Sons of Norway, Military Order Cootie. Lodges: Masons, Shriners.

Connections

Married Audrey Thompson, August 6, 1951. Children: Terri, Tracy, Todd, Thomas.

Father:

Selmer Stenvig

Mother:

Myrtle (Lee) Stenvig

Spouse:

Audrey Thompson

child:

Terri Stenvig

child:

Thomas Stenvig

child:

Todd Stenvig

child:

Tracy Stenvig