2025 Minnesota Senate District 60 special election

2025 District 60 special election

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Minnesota Senate District 60
Turnout	18.9% [1]
Nominee Doron Clark Abigail Wolters Party Democratic (DFL) Republican Popular vote 7,783 746 Percentage 90.91% 8.71%
Precinct results Clark:     80–84%     85–89%     90–94%     95–100%
Senator before election Kari Dziedzic Democratic (DFL) Elected Senator Doron Clark Democratic (DFL)

A special election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on January 28, 2025 to elect a new member for District 60 in the Minnesota Senate, representing the Northeast and University communities of Minneapolis, Hennepin County. The election filled a vacancy caused by the death of Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) member Kari Dziedzic on December 28, 2024. Primary elections for the Democratic and Republican parties were held on January 14, 2025. ^[2] Doron Clark of the DFL won the election with over 90% of the vote.

Background

On December 28, 2024, Senator Kari Dziedzic died of ovarian cancer. ^[3] On December 30, 2024, Governor Tim Walz announced a special election to fill her vacant seat, concurrent with a special election for House District 40B. ^[2]

District 60 is located in Minneapolis in Hennepin County, containing parts of Northeast, University, and Cedar-Riverside areas. ^[4] In the last election in 2022, Dziedzic won an unopposed race with 98.66 percent of the vote. ^[5]

DFL primary

The special candidate filing period was on December 31, 2024, with a withdrawal period on January 2, 2025. ^[6] Ten Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidates and three Republicans candidates filed, and three total candidates withdrew on January 2. ^[7] After a challenge was filed to the Minnesota Supreme Court showing that Mohamed Jama did not live in the district, Jama announced his intent to drop from the race. ^[8] On January 9, 2025, the court ruled that votes for Jama would not be counted. ^{[9] [10]}

Candidates

Nominee

• Doron Clark, former SD 60 DFL chair ^{[11] [12]}

Eliminated in primary election

• Iris Grace Altamirano, former school board candidate ^[11]
• Amal Karim
• Monica Meyer, political director for Gender Justice ^[11]
• Joshua Preston
• Emilio César Rodríguez
• Peter Wagenius, legislative and political director for Sierra Club Minnesota ^[13] and candidate for this seat in 2011 ^[14]

Withdrew

• Harold Melcher ^[7]
• Clay Morgan ^[7]
• Mohamed Jama ^[a]

Endorsements

Doron Clark

Local officials

• Elliott Payne, Minneapolis City Council president ^[15]
• Billy Menz, Park Board commissioner ^[16]
• Emily Koski, Minneapolis City Council member ^[17]
• Jason Chavez, Minneapolis City Council member ^[17]
• Samantha Pree-Stinson, Minneapolis Board of Estimate & Taxation member (Green) ^[18]
• Jill Davis, former chair of the Minneapolis Public Schools board ^[19]

Political parties

• Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party ^[17]

Monica Meyer

U.S. Representatives

• Ilhan Omar, United States Representative for the 5th district. ^{[20] [17]}

State legislators

• Leigh Finke, state representative for district 66A ^[21]
• Sydney Jordan, state representative for district 60A ^[17]

Local officials

• Jacob Frey, Mayor of Minneapolis ^[17]
• Robin Wonsley, Minneapolis City Council member ^{[22] [17]}
• Jeremiah Ellison, Minneapolis City Council member ^[17]
• Marion Greene, Hennepin County commissioner ^[23]

Peter Wagenius

State officials

• Keith Ellison, attorney general of Minnesota ^[24]
• Katie Jones, state representative elect for district 61A ^[25]
• Rick Hansen, state representative for district 53B^{[ citation needed ]}
• Alex Falconer, state representative elect for district 49A^{[ citation needed ]}

Local officials

• Becky Alper, Park Board commissioner ^[26]
• Katie Cashman, Minneapolis City Council member ^[27]

Organizations

• Sierra Club ^{[ citation needed ]}
• FairVote Minnesota ^[28]
• Friends of the Boundary Waters Action Network ^[29]

Results

DFL primary results by precinct:

  Clark

•   35–39%
•   40-44%
•   45–49%
•   50–54%
•   60–64%

  Meyer

•   30–34%
•   35–39%
•   40–44%
•   45–49%
•   50–54%

  Wagenius

•   35–39%
•   40–44%
•   70–74%

Senate District 60 Special DFL Primary ^[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic (DFL)	Doron Clark	2,073	38.13
	Democratic (DFL)	Monica Meyer	1,882	34.62
	Democratic (DFL)	Peter Wagenius	1,262	23.22
	Democratic (DFL)	Amal Karim	93	1.71
	Democratic (DFL)	Iris Grace Altamirano	74	1.36
	Democratic (DFL)	Joshua Preston	29	0.53
	Democratic (DFL)	Emilio César Rodríguez	23	0.42
Total votes			5,436	100

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Abigail Wolters, candidate for House District 60B in 2024

Eliminated in primary election

• Christopher Robin Zimmerman

Withdrew

• Jonathan Kraemer

Results

Senate District 60 Special Republican Primary ^[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Abigail Wolters	153	72.17
	Republican	Christopher Robin Zimmerman	59	27.83
Total votes			212	100

General election

The special general election was held on January 28, 2025. ^[2]

Results

Senate District 60 Special Election ^[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic (DFL)	Doron Clark	7,783	90.91
	Republican	Abigail Wolters	746	8.71
	Write-in		32	0.37
Total votes			8,561	100

See also

• List of special elections to the Minnesota Senate
• 2025 United States state legislative elections

Notes

1. Although his name remained on the ballot, votes for Mohamed Jama were not counted. ^{[8] [9]}

References

1. Minneapolis, City of (January 28, 2025). "2025 Senate District 60 Special General Election Statistics". City of Minneapolis. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
2. "Governor Walz Issues Writ of Special Election to Fill Vacancy in Senate District 60". State of Minnesota. December 30, 2024. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
3. Nelson, Dustin (December 28, 2024). "Minnesota senator and former majority leader Kari Dziedzic has died at 62". BringMeTheNews.com. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
4. "Senate District 60 Map" (PDF). Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
5. "Results for State Senator District 60". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
6. Turtinen, Melissa (December 30, 2024). "Special election for MN Senate District 60 set for January after Dziedzic's death". Fox 9. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
7. "Senate District 60 Special Election". Minnesota Secretary Of State. December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
8. Brown, Kyle (January 8, 2025). "Mohamed Jama drops out of state Senate special election amid residency challenge". KSTP. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
9. "Order A25-0023". Case Management System. Minnesota Appellate Courts. January 9, 2025. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
10. Minneapolis, City of (January 13, 2025). "Be prepared for Election Day". City of Minneapolis. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
11. Faircloth, Ryan; Moore, Janet (December 31, 2024). "More than a dozen candidates file for special elections to determine control of Minn. House, Senate". Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
12. Clark, Doron [@doronclark] (December 30, 2024). "I'm honored to be running to be the next State Senator for Senate District 60" (Tweet). Retrieved December 31, 2024– via Twitter.
13. Ferguson, Dana (December 31, 2024). "Minnesota Capitol control remains in flux after senator's death, House seat vacated". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
14. "2011 Primary Election Results for State Senator District 59". electionresults.sos.mn.gov. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
15. Payne, Elliott [@ElliottForWard1] (December 31, 2024). "I'm all in for @doronclark!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
16. "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved January 6, 2025.
17. Van Oot, Torey (January 9, 2025). "Early voting starts in crowded primary for open Minneapolis Senate seat". Axios Twin Cities. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
18. "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved January 6, 2025.
19. "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved January 6, 2025.
20. Monica, Meyer [@monicameyermn60] (January 2, 2025). "I'm deeply humbled to receive @ilhanmn's support: 'I am honored to endorse Monica Meyer for Minnesota Senate District 60, which includes the district I once represented in the MN House.'" (Tweet). Retweeted by Omar, Ilhan [@ilhanmn] – via Twitter.
21. "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved January 6, 2025.
22. "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved January 6, 2025.
23. "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved January 6, 2025.
24. Ellison, Keith [@keithellison] (December 31, 2024). "I'm supporting @PeterWagenius to succeed the great Sen. Kari Dziedzic" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
25. O'Connor, Jack (January 9, 2025). "Local early voting Thursday, Republicans sue, Minnesota Legislature boycott". Minnesota Daily. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
26. Alper, Becky [@BeckyForParksD3] (January 1, 2025). "So happy to support @PeterWagenius for MN Senate District 60" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
27. Cashman, Katie [@cashmanforward7] (January 5, 2025). "I'm proud to endorse Peter Wagenius" (Tweet). Retrieved January 6, 2025– via Twitter.
28. Fair Vote Minnesota [@FairVoteMN] (January 8, 2025). "Congrats to Peter Wagenius, who has earned the 2025 RCV Democracy Champion badge" (Tweet). Retrieved January 11, 2025– via Twitter.
29. Friends of the Boundary Waters [@FBW_Action] (January 10, 2025). "Minnesota's environmental future needs your voice!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
30. "2025 Primary Results for State Senator District 60". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
31. "Results for State Senator District 60". Office of the Secretary of State. January 28, 2025. Retrieved January 29, 2025.

External links

• Elections & Voting - Minnesota Secretary of State

Official campaign websites

• Doron Clark
• Amal Karim
• Monica Meyer
• Peter Wagenius
• Abigail Wolters