Staff Directory 6370420

C.J. Sinner

Director of Graphics & Data Visuals | Newsroom
Phone: 612-673-4387

C.J. Sinner is the Director of Graphics and Data Visuals at the Star Tribune, managing a small team that works at the intersection of data and design to help enhance storytelling on all platforms through charts, maps and diagrams. 


Sinner is a central-Minnesota native with family roots in North Dakota. She previously worked in Bismarck, N.D., New York and around New Zealand before moving back to the Twin Cities. She's a graduate of the University of Minnesota and Columbia University, and taught at the U's journalism school for several years. She lives in St. Paul with her husband and enjoys being outdoors in all seasons.
Recent content from C.J. Sinner
Red and blue circles show how Minnesota counties have shifted politically.

Where Minnesota's politics have shifted over 20 years and 6 presidential elections

Minnesota's counties are more polarized with fewer politically moderate areas.
House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, and House Majority Leader Jamie Long, DFL-Minneapolis, talk about how the House might manage a 67-67

A detailed look at the Minnesota House races going to a recount

Districts 14B and 54A are tight. What does the voting landscape look like there?
How Minnesota voted for president, precinct by precinct

How Minnesota voted for president, precinct by precinct

Kamala Harris won Minnesota even as Donald Trump claimed victory and a second term as president.
Live: Minnesota general election results 2024

Live: Minnesota general election results 2024

Minnesotans have been casting votes for president, Congress, Legislature, judges and local offices since early voting began on Sept. 20. Polls closed at 8 p.m.
Vikings bar finder: Where to watch games across U.S.

Vikings bar finder: Where to watch games across U.S.

With nearly 100 verified Vikings bars scattered across 28 states, connecting with fellow fans may be easier than you think.
Live: 2024 Minnesota primary election results

Live: 2024 Minnesota primary election results

Minnesotans have cast votes in party primaries for races from Congress down to local offices. Polls closed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13.
A stopmotion series of photographs shows gymnast Suni Lee practicing a switch ring leap on a balance beam.

Suni Lee wants balance beam gold. These elements could get her there.

Suni Lee said after the Olympic trials in Minneapolis that she "need[s] a beam gold." We look at key moments in her routine that could make the difference.
Sunisa Lee competes on the beam during the U.S. gymnastics championships, Friday, May 31, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas.

What to watch for on every gymnastics event at the U.S. Olympic trials in Minneapolis

Not sure what makes for a good routine, or the differences in men's and women's events? We lay out the key things to look for and skills you might see.
Why Minnesotans tend to go far on 'The Bachelor'

Why Minnesotans tend to go far on 'The Bachelor'

We crunched the highly scientific numbers to see if our suspicions were right.
“I Voted” stickers are seen in a local Minnesota election. Minnesotans will cast their ballots in the 2024 presidential primaries on Super Tuesday

2024 Minnesota presidential primary live election results

Minnesotans went to the polls on Tuesday — along with voters in 14 other states — to cast primary ballots in the 2024 presidential race.
Pickle Pizza was photographed Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 at the Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights, Minn. ] aaron.lavinsky@startribune.com Scene at the

Peak pickle? 10 charts show Minnesota State Fair food trends, present and past

We combed through Star Tribune records and fair documents back to 2014 to see what trends we could spot.
What 'surprise songs' will Taylor Swift play in Minneapolis? We take an (educated) guess

What 'surprise songs' will Taylor Swift play in Minneapolis? We take an (educated) guess

What has she played so far? Could U.S. Bank Stadium have a special guest?
A snowplow pushed fresh snow from McAndrews Road on Nov. 29 in Apple Valley. Snowfall levels rose to 7 inches above normal for the year, led mostly by

Record warmth, a dry fall and a heckuva lot of snow ends 2022

Long warm periods with four record highs, a November heat wave and unusually windy days were the trend in Twin Cities area weather in 2022.
Tracking coronavirus in Minnesota

Tracking coronavirus in Minnesota

See how COVID-19 has spread in Minnesota and across the United States.
Voters in Minnesota on Election Day

Many Minnesota counties shifted right; why Walz still beat Jensen

Considering how many voters are in Ramsey and Hennepin counties alone, even a small shift can make a big difference.
The Attorney General’s race by precinct.

6 maps that take a deeper look at Minnesota's election results

From the attorney general race to a razor-thin upset of an incumbent in the Arrowhead, there were a few notable takeaways.
Most DFL incumbents running for statewide offices in Minnesota have significant cash advantages over their GOP opponents.

Jensen's fundraising jumps, but Walz still has far more

With six weeks until Election Day, most Democrats for statewide offices have more cash saved.
Showing new and old defensive configurations favored under different Vikings coaches.

How the Vikings' defense will change under new coordinator

The Vikings are throwing back to the 1980s — the last time Minnesota's defense featured three down linemen and four linebackers — under a new coordinator.
Gaining a deep understanding of Justin Jefferson's early success

Gaining a deep understanding of Justin Jefferson's early success

Jefferson's path to 3,016 yards in two seasons requires a broad route range and skill set to shed defenders at all levels.
United States' John Shuster, directs his teammates, after throwing a rock, during the men's curling match against the Russian Olympic Committee, at th

How to watch Olympic curling (and actually know what's going on)

We'll help you talk smart to your friends as the U.S. men's and women's teams look to medal.
Jessie Diggins competes during the FIS World Cup in Germany in 2021.

Why the Olympic sprint course Jessie Diggins will face is such a challenge

On a course few cross-country skiers have ever seen, Jessie Diggins of Afton has her work cut out for her as she tries to bring home more gold for the United States.
As the Greenwood Fire continues to burn, smoke from the blaze fills the air, almost obscuring the Bong Bridge and Denfeld Senior High School, bottom t

Drought, haze, tornadoes: Take a deeper look at Minnesota's bewildering 2021 weather

Smoky air from wildfires, a severe June heat wave and unusual snowmelt made for some strange weather extremes in 2021.
This is a preview image of a map of St. Paul by voting precinct, with each precinct shaded by what share of voters voted Yes on the 2021 rent control

See where St. Paul's rent control vote drew strength, precinct by precinct

A precinct-by-precinct look at how the rent control vote highlights the differences in race, income and housing in the capital city.
Incumbent Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey hugged his father at his campaign’s election night party at Jefe Urban Cocina Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 in Minnea

How Jacob Frey won another term in ranked-choice votes

With only two tabulation rounds, 2021 looks a lot simpler than four years ago, but with way more votes.
Suni Lee performing her signature move, the Nabieva, in the beginning of her uneven bars routine at the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team trials on June 27

Suni Lee's ultra-difficult Olympics bar routine is 'as cool as it gets'

The St. Paul's gold-medal winner had a lot riding on one big skill. Here's a step-by-step look at how her Olympic routine came together.
Kyra Condie is a Minnesotan who will compete in climbing at the 2020 Olympics.

Climbing for gold: Shoreview's Condie one to watch in new Olympic sport

Sport climbing will be part of the Olympics for the first time this summer, joining five other new sports making their Summer Games debuts in Tokyo. Minnesota's Kyra Condie is a top challenger in the sport.
Sherry Johnson, a nurse practitioner, drew a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth on Dec. 18.

The Star Tribune is dialing back COVID-19 data tracking. Here's what that means.

We will be making some changes to our Minnesota COVID-19 tracker on July 1.
Archive: Tracking coronavirus in Minnesota

Archive: Tracking coronavirus in Minnesota

Dec. 17 update of Star Tribune zip code COVID map

Where are the COVID-19 cases in Minnesota? Here's a look by ZIP code

The Minnesota Department of Health releases weekly data on COVID-19 cases by ZIP code each Thursday. See where new cases are appearing in the state, and which areas have been hardest hit over the pandemic.
People picked up literature at an early voting celebration on Oct. 29, 2020, at the American Indian OIC in Minneapolis. Organizers helped boost Native

Native American voters across Minnesota turned out to oust Trump

Vote totals were up around Red Lake, and 90% for Biden.

Wait, so where in Minnesota did Kanye get all his votes?

Mr. Kardashian pulled in more than 7,000 votes from around our fair state.
This combination of pictures created on October 22, 2020 shows US President Donald Trump (L) and Democratic Presidential candidate and former US Vice

Biden recaptures lost ground as many Minnesota counties move left

Despite several visits from President Donald Trump hoping to win Minnesota, the electorate favored former vice president Joe Biden, delivering him the win in a handful of counties that evaded Hillary Clinton in 2016. Where Trump prevailed, his win margin was tighter in regional population centers, while it grew in some of the most rural parts of the North Star State.

Biden wins Minn., Wis., Mich.; presidency hangs on battleground races

An election like no other: Tracking Minnesota's early voting

With nearly 2 million absentee votes already accepted, Minnesotans are trending well ahead of previous election early voting.

Minnesota election results 2020: Presidential race by precinct

Minnesota election results 2020: Courts and local races

Minnesota election results 2020

Map of Minneapolis businesses damaged, looted after night of unrest

Fire officials are investigating the apparent torching of four retail outlets overnight that expanded the destruction well beyond the city's core.
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar's daughter Isra Hirsi campaigned for her mother at the corner of Broadway Street and Central Avenue NE in Minneapolis.

See which neighborhoods carried Ilhan Omar to victory in DFL primary

She pulled in strong support from most precincts in Minneapolis, but newcomer Antone Melton-Meaux managed to earn more than 60,000 votes in the race.

A deeper look at areas most damaged by rioting, looting in Minneapolis, St. Paul

Twin Cities restaurants and retail stores were hit the hardest in the rioting following George Floyd's killing.

360 deaths or 22,000? Why Minnesota's COVID-19 models are so different

How can scientists looking at the same data come up with such different estimates? And who's right?

In Minnesota and across the U.S., virus death toll keeps climbing

As of Monday, 143 Minnesotans had died from COVID-19, with more than half of those fatalities occurring since April 14. The virus has now claimed more lives in the U.S. than anywhere in the world.
Snow plows teamed up to clear snow from the west bound lanes of Interstate 94 near Burns Ave. in St. Paul. ] (JIM GEHRZ/STAR TRIBUNE) / April 11, 2013

Wrap your head around these Minnesota snow stats

New University students cheered before the Convocation, the official welcome ceremony for incoming freshmen, at Mariucci Arena, Thursday, August 29, 2

Why is it so much harder for U students to graduate debt free compared to the '60s?

Fall college tuition bills are coming due, and if the number behind that dollar sign seems high, well, it is.
Eddie Hoeschen, 2, rode on his grandpa Kevin Hoeschen's, of Duluth, shoulders as they walked through a thick crowd at the Minnesota State Fair in Falc

We hit 2 million at State Fair again. Here's what made the difference this year.

Should we get used to 2 million? Or was the 2019 Great Minnesota Get-Together a particularly good year? Three observations show how we got there this time.

Crowds are huge part of the State Fair. See how they've grown over the years.

The state's largest gathering got rolling just after we became a state and has changed with the times. In 2019, will fair magic again conspire to haul in the population of several Minnesota cities each day?

What the candidates said during Thursday's debate

On the second night of debates in Miami, 10 more candidates sought to set themselves apart from the crowded field.

Democratic debate: What the candidates said

Democratic presidential candidates tried Wednesday to elbow their way into the spotlight in a debate that kicked off the 2020 primary season.
August 20, 1947 Experts on the Boards - The Timothy Quinns are pioneers in water skiing, They's shown here at Lake Minnetonka, in the wake of a speed

Minnesotans' love of water skiing, by the numbers

MNDOT data collection supervisor Mark Resemius and transportation specialist Dave Larson headed out with the road and pavement survey vehicle.

Gov. Walz's team points to state's future needs with gas-tax plans

The first-term Democrat cites inflation and road repairs. Republican leaders say the increase is not needed in a time of surplus.
Vermont coach John Becker celebrates their 66-49 win over Maryland-Baltimore County in the championship of the America East Tournament. Last year, UMB

Which underdog will reach Minneapolis for the Final Four?

Nearly every year in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, it seems, there's an unforeseen underdog that finds its way into the Final Four. But it wasn't always like this.

Not many places in U.S. got more snow than the Twin Cities did in February

Yes, Minnesotans, February was as snowy as you thought. In fact, when it comes to snowfall last month, we had more in common with Jackson, Wyo. than we did with our typical winter brethren in Chicago and Milwaukee.
2018 Minnesota midterm election results

2018 Minnesota midterm election results

Results for key state races, the legislature, Congress' balance of power and local Minnesota municipal contests.
2018 Minnesota Midterm Election Results: Local

2018 Minnesota Midterm Election Results: Local

2018 Minnesota Midterm Election Results: Legislature

2018 Minnesota Midterm Election Results: Legislature

2018 Minnesota Midterm Election Results: State

2018 Minnesota Midterm Election Results: State

Minnesota Election Guide: Where major candidates stand

With the governor's office, both U.S. senators and all eight U.S. House seats on the ballot in November, Minnesota is shaping up to be Ground Zero in this year's high-stakes midterm elections.
Walz carries cash advantage into race's final days

Walz carries cash advantage into race's final days

DFL gubernatorial candidate Tim Walz enters the final days of the election season with a nearly two-to-one cash advantage over Republican Jeff Johnson, according to pre-election campaign finance reports filed in late October.
Contested congressional races bring national focus, millions in spending

Contested congressional races bring national focus, millions in spending

No state is home to more toss-up congressional races than Minnesota. The Third District has already surpassed the $6M mark for fundraising, and the suddenly-open Fifth is heating up.

Who's running for major political offices in Minnesota's primary?

These are the candidates running in Minnesota's gubernatorial, congressional and state office primary races.
In Senate races, Smith, Klobuchar fundraising juggernauts in full swing

In Senate races, Smith, Klobuchar fundraising juggernauts in full swing

It's rare to have two Senate seats on the ballot in a single year, but it's one of the reasons Minnesota is a state to watch come November.

Prince investigation documents: Moline, Ill., emergency landing, treatment

These pages have been extracted from files released by Carver County on April 19, 2018.
Minnesota Vikings fans do the Skol Chant at US Bank Stadium during the divisional game last Sunday.

Where to watch the Vikings when you're not in Minnesota

With 65 verified Vikings bars in 25 states, connecting with fellow fans may be easier than you think.
A Minneapolis police officer investigated the scene of a homicide earlier this year.

Crime rate in Minnesota hits a 50-year low, new BCA data show

Serious crimes in Minnesota dropped by more than 3 percent from 2015 to 2016, according to the FBI.
The National Weather Service in Chanhassen released this photo.

Photos: Dramatic storm turns sky green, leaves hail 'drifts' in its wake

An eerie, panic-inducing sky opened up to lightning, strong winds and dime-sized hail across a wide swath of Minnesota on Sunday morning.
Tim Ludwig illustration.

Minnesota ranks near top of best states for working moms

An analysis by personal finance website WalletHub found that Minnesota ranked as the second best state in the nation for working mothers.
During lunch, Jose Quiroz Cantoran, left, and Candida Mendez, talked and watched CNN in Spanish as they listened to news regarding President Trump's e

Trump's immigration order covers homelands of thousands of Minnesotans

It's yet to be seen how these tough-on-immigration policies will play out nationally, but they're almost certain to have dramatic implications for Minnesota's increasingly diverse population.
In this photo taken April 7, 2016, Jonathan Mossberg, whose iGun Technology Corp. is working to develop a "smart gun," demonstrates the firearm, in Da

8 charts that show changes in Minnesota's gun culture

Seventeen years of firearm background check data illustrates a move toward handguns, while numbers on rifles and shotguns hold steady.
Crossing a talus field of eroded rock meant carefully watching one's footing.

Boulder's biggest surprise? Doses of Minnesota Nice

This Rocky Mountain retreat is the place to go for mountain hikes, cozy cottages and a surprising dose of Minnesota Nice.
How was Minnesota voter turnout by county? Here are the results

How was Minnesota voter turnout by county? Here are the results

The largest increases in percentage of voting-age residents casting ballots were in central Minnesota, counties that supported Trump, according to a Star Tribune analysis.
Courtney Carter, 12, received two vaccinations from LPN Kathy Schwalbe at Park Nicollet Clinic—Brookdale in Brooklyn Center. On the left is brot

How common are vaccination exemptions for Minnesota's kindergartners?

Less than 2 percent of Minnesota's kindergartners get vaccination exemptions, the vast majority of which are for non-medical reasons. But that rate is much higher in some districts and schools.
The Dixie Chicks, from left, Emily Robison, Natalie Maines and Martie Maguire perform the song "Landslide" at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards, Sunday, F

How the Dixie Chicks helped me become a creative, independent woman

They were one of my favorite acts in the late '90s and early aughts. And the Dixie Chicks played an important role in my young life.
Illustration for Outdoors Weekend ORG XMIT: MIN2016062317243419

Wild looks different after close encounter with mountain lion

Last time I camped in the North Dakota backcountry, a mountain lion wandered into our camp at dusk. Even five years later, I still fear spending a night outside the relative safety of the campground.
Hospitals scorecard screenshot

Which Minnesota hospitals get fined by Medicare?

Data show which hospitals have been penalized for problems like hospital-acquired infections and too many readmissions -- but they can also get rewarded.
What we learned by tracking golfers' holes in one in Minnesota last year

What we learned by tracking golfers' holes in one in Minnesota last year

Golf courses all over the state send us information on golfers who hit aces, but last year was the first time we decided to analyze the data. Here's what we found.