Melvin Carter was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. While attending Florida A&M University during Election 2000, Melvin's brother-in-law was turned away from a polling location after waiting for over three hours.  Reflecting on it, Councilmember Carter remembers, "It was the most profound sense of powerlessness I had ever felt."  That day cemented Carter's commitment to work toward the empowerment of all communities through politics.  Melvin returned to Minnesota for graduate school, where he attended The University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs and worked with Got Voice? Got Power!, Minnesota Victory 2004 and Wellstone Action.

In 2006, Carter served on Mayor Chris Coleman's policy outreach team, an experience which led to his decision to bring change to Ward One as councilmember.  Melvin defeated an incumbent who had raised significantly greater campaign funds, on November 6, 2007.  With 58% of the vote, Carter proved his campaign slogan, "As ONE, we win!"

It is evident from the finger-painted art in his office to the bright-blue father's day tie that he sports, that his primary passion is his family. He and his wife, Alecia, have two young daughters--Maylena and Naomi.

As Paul Hamiliton from Insight News so perfectly articulates, "[Melvin is] an excellent role model and quite frankly, just a very nice young man." He earned the St. Paul NAACP's 2006 Community Service Award, and he continues to show amazing and unprecedented compassion in everything he does. During his first year in office, Councilmember Carter has shown an unwavering commitment to the constituents of Ward One.

Councilmember Carter also currently serves on the Saint Paul Regional Water Services Board of Directors, the Landmark Center Board of Directors, the Family Housing Fund Board, the Library Board, the Hmong 18 Council, and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority Board.  In his personal time, Carter serves on volunteer boards for three local nonprofit organizations, directs a choir at St. James AME Church in St. Paul and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Councilmember Carter is also founder of Urban Embassy, a nonprofit organization.