Aisha Chughtai

Aisha Chughtai (born 1997/1998) is an American community organizer and politician serving as the vice president of the Minneapolis City Council, representing the 10th Ward. A member of the DFL, she was elected in 2021 to succeed retiring Council President Lisa Bender. She is the youngest person and first Muslim woman elected to the Council.

Early life and career
Chughtai's parents are immigrants from Pakistan; her father worked as a mechanic and her mother as a Quranic instructor. She grew up in Houston, where her family experienced housing instability, and moved to Mankato, Minnesota during the 2008 financial crisis.

Chughtai has worked on numerous political campaigns, including as campaign manager of U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar's 2018 campaign. She later worked as a political organizer for the SEIU Minnesota State Council.

Minneapolis City Council
In 2021, Chughtai announced her candidacy for retiring Council President Lisa Bender's Ward 10 seat. Her campaign focused on expanding affordable housing and strengthening local labor laws. The DFL did not issue an endorsement in the ward, as no candidate achieved the necessary vote threshold. She was endorsed by the abortion rights organization #VOTEPROCHOICE.

Chughtai won the instant-runoff election on November 3 with 50.3% of the vote to her nearest challenger's 33.6%. She took office on January 3, 2022, becoming the first Asian American, Muslim woman, and youngest member of the Council. She took the oath of office on a ceremonial Quran also used by Ilhan Omar, Keith Ellison, Omar Fateh, and numerous other Muslim officials elected in Minneapolis.

On November 7, 2023, Chughtai was reelected to a second term with 60.7% of the first-round vote. The DFL endorsed her for reelection in a virtual vote after violence at the Ward 10 DFL convention forced early adjournment. She was appointed Council Vice President alongside Council President Elliott Payne. She also chairs the Budget Committee and serves on the Administration & Enterprise Oversight Committee.

Personal life
A renter, Chughtai lives in Minneapolis's Whittier neighborhood. She is a member of the Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). She advocates for community control over the police.