List of special elections to the Minnesota Senate

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This is a list of special elections to the Minnesota Senate. Such elections are called by the governor of Minnesota to fill vacancies that occur when a member of the Minnesota Senate dies or resigns before the next general election. Winners of these elections serve the remainder of the term and are usually candidates in the next election for their districts.

Contents

General elections are held in November of the second year following the decennial United States Census and every four years thereafter. New Legislatures convene on the first Tuesday following the first Monday of the following year.

The first special election to the Minnesota Senate occurred in 1861 after the resignation of George Watson. [1]

List of special elections

DistrictLegislatureDatePredecessorWinnerCause
66 71st January 8, 1980 John Chenoweth (DFL) Emery Barrette (I-R)Retired to become the director of the Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund (MERF) [2]
16 71st February 22, 1980 Ed Schrom (DFL) Ben Omann (I-R)Death [3]
20 72nd May 12, 1981 James Nichols (DFL) Randy Kamrath (I-R)Resigned to focus on his family and farm [4]
8 74th February 5, 1985 James Ulland (I-R) James Gustafson (I-R)Resigned on January 9, 1985 to become the Senior Vice President for First Bank System [5]
4 75th November 3, 1987 Gerald Willet (DFL) Bob Decker (I-R}Resigned to accept appointment as commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency [6]
37 76th November 8, 1988 Darril Wegscheid (DFL) Patricia Pariseau (I-R)Resigned to devote time to his career at 3M [7]
48 76th December 20, 1988 Tad Jude (I-R) Pat McGowan (I-R)Resigned after election to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners [8]
24 76th February 3, 1990 Glen Taylor (I-R) Mark Piepho (I-R)Retired with plans to run for governor; did not end up running [9]
61 76th February 10, 1990 Donna Peterson (DFL) Carol Flynn (DFL)Resigned to become a lobbyist for the University of Minnesota [10]
42 77th January 4, 1992 Don Storm (I-R) Roy Terwilliger (I-R)Resigned to accept appointment to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. [11]
31 79th November 8, 1994 Duane Benson (I-R) Kenric Scheevel (I-R)Retired to become executive director for the Minnesota Business Partnership [12]
19 79th November 8, 1994 Betty Adkins (DFL) Mark Ourada (I-R)Resigned after injuries sustained in a car crash [13]
47 79th December 29, 1994 Bill Luther (DFL) Don Kramer (I-R)Resigned after election to Minnesota's 6th congressional district [14]
16 79th December 29, 1994 Joanne Benson (I-R) Dave Kleis (I-R)Resigned upon election as Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota [15]
33 79th February 2, 1995 Pat McGowan (I-R) Warren Limmer (R)Resigned after upon election to be Hennepin County Sheriff [16]
14 79th February 6, 1996 Joe Bertram (DFL) Michelle Fischbach (R)Resigned amidst expulsion procedures after pleading guilty to bribery and threats after shoplifting a leather vest [17]
26 81st March 30, 1999 Tracy Beckman (DFL) Donald Ziegler (R)Resigned to accept appointment as Minnesota State Director of the Farm Service Agency [18]
32 81st April 13, 1999 Steven Morse (DFL) Bob Kierlin (R)Resigned to accept appointment as Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
18 81st November 2, 1999 Janet Johnson (DFL) Twyla Ring (DFL)Death (brain tumor)
4 81st December 14, 2002 David Ten Eyck (DFL) Tony Kinkel (DFL)Resigned to accept appointment to the Crow Wing County District Court
7 82nd January 29, 2002 Sam Solon (DFL) Yvonne Prettner Solon (DFL)Death (malignant melanoma)
67 82nd January 29, 2002 Randy Kelly (DFL) Mee Moua (DFL)Resigned upon election to the mayoralty of Saint Paul
37 83rd July 13, 2004 David Knutson (R) Chris Gerlach (R)Resigned to accept appointment to the Minnesota 1st Judicial District Court
19 84th November 22, 2005 Mark Ourada (R) Amy Koch (R)Resigned to take a position with non-profit Center for Energy and Economic Development
43 84th November 22, 2005 David Gaither (R) Terri Bonoff (DFL)Resigned to accept appointment as Chief of Staff to Governor Tim Pawlenty
15 84th December 27, 2005 Dave Kleis (R) Tarryl Clark (DFL)Resigned upon election to the mayoralty of Saint Cloud
25 85th January 3, 2008 Tom Neuville (R) Kevin Dahle (DFL)Resigned to accept appointment to the Minnesota 3rd Judicial District Court
63 86th November 4, 2008 Dan Larson (DFL) Ken Kelash (DFL)Resigned to become a lobbyist
16 86th November 4, 2008 Betsy Wergin (R) Lisa Fobbe (DFL)Resigned to serve on the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
26 86th January 26, 2010 Dick Day (R) Mike Parry (R)Resign to become a full-time lobbyist for the state's two horse-racing tracks
66 87th April 10, 2011 Ellen Anderson (DFL) Mary Jo McGuire (DFL)Resigned to accept a position as chair of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
61 87th October 10, 2011 Linda Berglin (DFL) Jeff Hayden (DFL)Resigned to accept a job as a Hennepin County health policy program manager
46 87th October 10, 2011 Linda Scheid (DFL) Chris Eaton (DFL)Death (ovarian cancer)
59 87th January 10, 2012 Larry Pogemiller (DFL) Kari Dziedzic (DFL)Resigned to accept appointment as Director of Higher Education
20 87th April 10, 2012 Gary Kubly (DFL) Lyle Koenen (DFL)Death (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
35 89th February 9, 2016 Branden Petersen (R) Jim Abeler (R)Resigned effective October 31, 2015 [19]
54 90th February 12, 2018 Dan Schoen (DFL) Karla Bigham (DFL)Resigned due to allegations of sexual harassment [20]
13 90th November 6, 2018 Michelle Fischbach (R) Jeff Howe (R)Resigned after election as lieutenant governor [21]
11 91st February 5, 2019 Tony Lourey (DFL) Jason Rarick (R)Resigned to accept appointment as Commissioner of Human Services [22]
45 93rd November 5, 2024 Kelly Morrison (DFL) Ann Johnson Stewart (DFL)Resigned to run for Minnesota's 3rd congressional district [23]
60 94th January 28, 2025 Kari Dziedzic (DFL)TBDDeath (ovarian cancer) [24]

Results

District 25 (2008)

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic (DFL) Kevin Dahle 6,80255.15
Republican Ray Cox5,22542.37
Independence Vance Norgaard2962.40
Write-in 100.08
Total votes12,333 100

District 66 (2011)

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic (DFL) Mary Jo McGuire 4,05980.25
Republican Greg Copeland99119.59
Write-in 80.16
Total votes5,058 100
Democratic (DFL) hold

District 46 (2011)

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic (DFL) Chris Eaton 3,37461.85
Republican Cory Jensen1,78232.67
Independence Matt Brillhart2925.35
Write-in 70.13
Total votes5,455 100
Democratic (DFL) hold

District 61 (2011)

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic (DFL) Jeff Hayden 1,85668.24
Green Farheen Hakeem59521.88
Republican Bruce Lundeen2218.13
Independence Matt Brillhart441.62
Write-in 40.15
Total votes2,720 100
Democratic (DFL) hold

District 59 (2012)

DFL primary election [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic (DFL) Kari Dziedzic 1,96532.11
Democratic (DFL) Mohamud Noor 1,62626.57
Democratic (DFL) Peter Wagenius1,08917.80
Democratic (DFL) Paul Ostrow79212.94
Democratic (DFL) Jacob Frey 4737.73
Democratic (DFL) Alicia Frosch360.59
Total votes5,981 100
General election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic (DFL) Kari Dziedzic 3,39379.41
Republican Ben Schwanke82419.28
Write-in 561.31
Total votes3,381 100
Democratic (DFL) hold

District 20 (2012)

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic (DFL) Lyle Koenen 3,91454.41
Republican Kathleen Fowke2,91240.48
Independence Leon Greenslit3645.06
Write-in 30.04
Total votes3,381 100
Democratic (DFL) hold

District 35 (2016)

PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jim Abeler 3,91473.69
Democratic (DFL) Roger Johnson94721.56
Legal Marijuana Now Zach Phelps1804.10
Write-in 290.66
Total votes4,393 100
Republican hold

District 54 (2018)

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic (DFL) Karla Bigham 7,34350.73
Republican Denny McNamara 6,81347.06
Libertarian Emily Mellingen3132.16
Write-in 70.05
Total votes14,476 100
Democratic (DFL) hold

District 13 (2018)

PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jeff Howe 21,71457.38
Democratic (DFL) Joe Perske16,10842.57
Write-in 200.05
Total votes37,842 100
Republican hold

District 11 (2019)

PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jason Rarick 8,12752.02
Democratic (DFL) Stu Lourey7,17145.90
Legal Marijuana Now John Birrenbach 2981.91
Write-in 270.17
Total votes15,623 100
Republican gain from Democratic (DFL)

District 45 (2024)

PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic (DFL) Ann Johnson Stewart 29,79152.43
Republican Kathleen Fowke26,96947.47
Write-in 580.10
Total votes56,818 100
Democratic (DFL) hold

District 60 (2025)

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Results of Special Elections for the Minnesota Legislature, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  2. ↑ Brunswick, Mark (August 13, 1991). "Chenoweth identified as man slain on beach" (PDF). Star Tribune . Minneapolis. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Schrom, Ed". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Nichols, James W. "Jim"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Ulland, James E. "Jim"". Minnesota Legislators: Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Willet, Gerald "Jerry"". Minnesota Legislators: Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Darril Wegscheid". Minnesota Legislators: Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Minnesota Judicial Branch - Bio". December 27, 2021. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021.
  9. ↑ Fiedler, Terry (April 1, 2014). "Glen Taylor: Soul of a billionaire". Star Tribune. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  10. ↑ Kaul, Greta (December 12, 2011). "Chief lobbyist ends 20 years of telling the University's story at the Capitol". The Minnesota Daily. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Storm, Donald A." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  12. ↑ Olson, Rochelle (January 21, 2025). "Former football player, state senator, business leader Duane Benson dies". Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Former Senator Betty Adkins dies". Annandale Advocate. November 8, 2001. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  14. ↑ "LUTHER, William Paul". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Lieutenant governor trivia". MPR News. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  16. ↑ "McGowan, Patrick D. "Pat"". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Senator's guilty plea has constituents angry, baffled". Post Bulletin. October 5, 1995. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Beckman, Tracy L". Leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  19. ↑ Stassen-Berger, Rachel E. (September 24, 2015). "Sen. Branden Petersen, pro-gay-marriage GOPer, resigning". Pioneer Press . Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  20. ↑ Xiong, Chao; Coolican, J. Patrick (November 23, 2017). "Despite resignation, Sen. Dan Schoen's lawyer says DFLer 'never meant to sexually harass anybody'". Star Tribune . Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  21. ↑ Golden, Erin; Coolican, J. Patrick (May 25, 2018). "Fischbach resigns from state Senate, is sworn in as lieutenant governor". Star Tribune . Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  22. ↑ Coolican, J. Patrick (January 3, 2019). "Gov.-elect Tim Walz names seven new commissioners, including state Sen. Tony Lourey". Star Tribune . Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  23. ↑ Morrison, Kelly (June 6, 2024). ""Today I am stepping down from my seat in the MN Senate"". twitter/x. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  24. ↑ Turtinen, Melissa (December 30, 2024). "Special election for MN Senate District 60 set for January after Dziedzic's death". Fox 9. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Index". Election Results. December 6, 2011. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
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