Minnesota elections, 2016

Last updated

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 8, 2016. All seats in the Minnesota Senate and Minnesota House of Representatives were up for election as well as Minnesota's 10 presidential electors and Minnesota's eight seats in the United States House of Representatives. A primary election was held on August 9, 2016.

U.S. state constituent political entity of the United States

In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are currently 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory and shares its sovereignty with the federal government. Due to this shared sovereignty, Americans are citizens both of the federal republic and of the state in which they reside. State citizenship and residency are flexible, and no government approval is required to move between states, except for persons restricted by certain types of court orders. Four states use the term commonwealth rather than state in their full official names.

Minnesota State of the United States of America

Minnesota is a state in the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and northern regions of the United States. Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state on May 11, 1858, created from the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory. The state has a large number of lakes, and is known by the slogan the "Land of 10,000 Lakes". Its official motto is L'Étoile du Nord.

Minnesota Senate

The Minnesota Senate is the upper house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, it is the largest upper house of any U.S. state legislature. Floor sessions are held in the west wing of the State Capitol in Saint Paul. Committee hearings, as well as offices for senators and staff, are located north of the State Capitol in the Minnesota Senate Building.

Contents

Voters also approved a proposed amendment to the Minnesota Constitution.

Minnesota Constitution

The Constitution of the State of Minnesota was initially approved by the residents of Minnesota Territory in a special election held on October 13, 1857, and was ratified by the United States Senate on May 11, 1858, marking the admittance of Minnesota to the Union. Nearly 120 amendments have been approved, with perhaps the most significant being a reorganization in 1974 to simplify the document, making it easier for modern readers to comprehend and reducing the extensive verbiage. It is believed that the constitution was even amended twice prior to ratification.

State elections

Minnesota Senate

All 67 seats in the Minnesota Senate were up for election. The Republican Party of Minnesota won a majority of 34 seats compared to the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party's (DFL) 33. Before the election, the DFL held a majority of 39 seats compared to the Republicans' 28.

Republican Party of Minnesota Political party in Minnesota, United States

The Republican Party of Minnesota is a conservative political party in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is affiliated with the United States Republican Party.

Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Political party in Minnesota, United States

The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) is a center-left political party in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is affiliated with the U.S. Democratic Party. Formed by a merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the left-wing Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1944, the DFL is one of only two state Democratic party affiliates of a different name.

Minnesota House of Representatives

All 134 seats in the Minnesota House of Representatives were up for election. The Republican Party of Minnesota won a majority of 76 seats compared to the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party's (DFL) 57. Before the election, the Republicans held a majority of 73 seats compared to the DFL's 61.

Minnesota House of Representatives lower house of the state legislature of Minnesota, USA

The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. There are 134 members, exactly twice as many as the Minnesota Senate. Floor sessions are held in the north wing of the State Capitol in Saint Paul. Offices for members and staff, as well as most committee hearings, are located in the nearby State Office Building.

Judiciary

Minnesota Supreme Court justice Natalie Hudson won election to a six-year term following her appointment in 2015 by Governor Mark Dayton. Several seats on the Minnesota Court of Appeals and the Minnesota District Courts were also up for election.

Minnesota Supreme Court the highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota

The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The court hears cases in the Supreme Court chamber in the Minnesota State Capitol or in the nearby Minnesota Judicial Center.

Natalie E. Hudson is a justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Mark Dayton American politician

Mark Brandt Dayton is an American politician who served as the 40th governor of Minnesota from 2011 to 2019. He was a United States Senator for Minnesota from 2001 to 2007, and the Minnesota State Auditor from 1991 to 1995. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), which affiliates with the national Democratic Party.

Federal elections

President and vice president of the United States

Minnesota's 10 electors in the Electoral College were up for election, which was won by the Democratic nominees for president and vice president of the United States, Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine. The electors voted on December 19, 2016.

Democratic Party (United States) political party in the United States

The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. Tracing its heritage back to Thomas Jefferson and James Madison's Democratic-Republican Party, the modern-day Democratic Party was founded around 1828 by supporters of Andrew Jackson, making it the world's oldest active political party.

President of the United States Head of state and of government of the United States

The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.

United States House of Representatives

Minnesota's eight seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election. The DFL held five seats compared to the Republicans' three before the election, which was unchanged by the election. Neither party gained or lost seats.

Ballot questions

A proposed amendment to the Minnesota Constitution to establish an independent council to set salaries for members of the Minnesota Legislature was approved by voters. [1]

ChoiceVotes%
Yes check.svg Yes2,265,83576.33
X mark.svg No536,27218.07
Blank votes166,1745.60
Total2,968,281100.00
Eligible voters/turnout [2] 3,972,33074.72
Source: Minnesota Secretary of State [3]

Related Research Articles

2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota

The 2008 Minnesota U.S. House of Representatives elections took place on November 4, 2008. All 8 congressional seats that make up the state's delegation were contested. Representatives were elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the 111th United States Congress from January 4, 2009 until January 3, 2011.

The following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of Minnesota:

2014 Minnesota elections

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 4, 2014. All of Minnesota's executive officers were up for election as well as all the seats in the Minnesota House of Representatives, several state judicial seats, a United States Senate seat, all of Minnesota's eight seats in the United States House of Representatives, and several seats for local offices. A primary election was held on August 12, 2014, to nominate major political party candidates for partisan offices and candidates for nonpartisan offices.

The 2002 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 5, 2002, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 83rd Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held on September 10, 2002.

2004 Minnesota House of Representatives election

The 2004 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 2, 2004, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 84th Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held on September 14, 2004.

The 2006 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 7, 2006, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 85th Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held in several districts on September 12, 2006.

The 1998 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 3, 1998, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 81st Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held on September 15, 1998.

The 2000 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 7, 2000, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 82nd Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held on September 12, 2000.

The 1976 Minnesota Senate election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 2, 1976, to elect members to the Senate of the 70th and 71st Minnesota Legislatures. A primary election was held on September 14, 1976. This was the first partisan election of the Senate since 1910.

The 1980 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 4, 1980, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 72nd Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held on September 9, 1980.

1982 Minnesota House of Representatives election

The 1982 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 2, 1982, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 73rd Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held on September 14, 1982.

The 1982 Minnesota Senate election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 2, 1982, to elect members to the Senate of the 73rd and 74th Minnesota Legislatures. A primary election was held on September 14, 1982.

1984 Minnesota House of Representatives election

The 1984 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 6, 1984, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 74th Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held on September 11, 1984.

The 1990 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 6, 1990, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 77th Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held on September 11, 1990.

The 1990 Minnesota Senate election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 6, 1990, to elect members to the Senate of the 77th Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held on September 11, 1990.

The 1992 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 3, 1992, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 78th Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held on September 15, 1992.

The 1994 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 8, 1994, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 79th Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held on September 13, 1994.

The 1996 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 5, 1996, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 80th Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held on September 10, 1996.

The 1996 Minnesota Senate election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 5, 1996, to elect members to the Senate of the 80th and 81st Minnesota Legislatures. A primary election was held on September 10, 1996.

References