Chuck Canfield facts for kids

Charles Joseph Canfield (March 24, 1932 – January 24, 2017) was an American businessman and a veteran of the United States Navy. He served as the mayor of Rochester, Minnesota. Before becoming mayor in 1995, he was a member of the Rochester City Council. He represented the 2nd Ward from 1986. Canfield also owned a Shakey's Pizza restaurant in Rochester from 1967 until it closed in 2002. He later ran for mayor again in 2002 but lost to Ardell Brede.

Becoming Mayor of Rochester

In 1995, Charles Canfield decided to run for mayor of Rochester. The previous mayor, Chuck Hazama, had faced some public criticism. Canfield announced his campaign on June 6, 1995.

The Election Race

Canfield's main campaign idea was to address the rising crime in Rochester. He said that new criminal activity was making neighborhoods feel unsafe. His main opponent when he started his campaign was Olmsted County Commissioner Carol Kamper.

Other people also joined the race. An operations manager named Ken R. Weber announced he would run, but later found he could not because of past legal issues. IBM manager Steve Beilby also decided to run. This meant there were enough candidates to require a primary election in September. Another candidate, John Reidenbach, joined before the primaries.

Winning the Primary Election

Canfield won the primary election with 46% of the votes. About 8,500 people voted in the primary. Carol Kamper came in second with 32%, which meant she would also move on to the general election. Reidenbach received 18% of the votes, and Beilby got 4%. Only about 19% of the 44,000 eligible voters participated in the primary.

Key Issues and Debates

Canfield and Kamper held a debate at Rochester Community College. During the debate, Kamper suggested that Rochester needed a youth nightclub or youth center. However, she believed the city should not pay for it. Canfield responded by saying that creating jobs for young people was more important than building nightclubs.

Both candidates spent a lot of money on their campaigns. Canfield spent almost $10,000, and Kamper spent over $7,500.

The General Election Victory

The general election took place on November 7. Voter turnout was about 29%. Charles Canfield won against Carol Kamper by a clear margin. His victory ended the 16-year time that Mayor Hazama had been in office.

When Canfield became mayor, his old city council seat became empty. According to the city rules, the city council could choose someone to take his place. Canfield did not say who he thought should fill his old seat. He passed away on January 24, 2017, at the age of 84.

See also

• List of mayors of Rochester, Minnesota