List of special elections to the Minnesota Senate
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.
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
District
Legislature
Date
Predecessor
Winner
Cause
66
71st
January 8, 1980
John Chenoweth Emery Barrette Retired to become the director of the Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund (MERF)[ 2]
16
71st
February 22, 1980
Ed Schrom Ben Omann Death[ 3]
20
72nd
May 12, 1981
James Nichols Randy Kamrath Resigned to focus on his family and farm[ 4]
8
74th
February 5, 1985
James Ulland James Gustafson Resigned on January 9, 1985 to become the Senior Vice President for First Bank System [ 5]
4
75th
November 3, 1987
Gerald Willet Bob Decker Resigned to accept appointment as commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency [ 6]
37
76th
November 8, 1988
Darril Wegscheid Patricia Pariseau Resigned to devote time to his career at 3M [ 7]
48
76th
December 20, 1988
Tad Jude Pat McGowan Resigned after election to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners [ 8]
24
76th
February 3, 1990
Glen Taylor Mark Piepho Retired with plans to run for governor; did not end up running[ 9]
61
76th
February 10, 1990
Donna Peterson Carol Flynn Resigned to become a lobbyist for the University of Minnesota [ 10]
42
77th
January 4, 1992
Don Storm Roy Terwilliger Resigned to accept appointment to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission .[ 11]
31
79th
November 8, 1994
Duane Benson Kenric Scheevel Retired to become executive director for the Minnesota Business Partnership[ 12]
19
79th
November 8, 1994
Betty Adkins Mark Ourada Resigned after injuries sustained in a car crash[ 13]
47
79th
December 29, 1994
Bill Luther Don Kramer Resigned after election to Minnesota's 6th congressional district [ 14]
16
79th
December 29, 1994
Joanne Benson Dave Kleis Resigned upon election as Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota [ 15]
33
79th
February 2, 1995
Pat McGowan Warren Limmer Resigned after upon election to be Hennepin County Sheriff[ 16]
14
79th
February 6, 1996
Joe Bertram Michelle Fischbach Resigned amidst expulsion procedures after pleading guilty to bribery and threats after shoplifting a leather vest[ 17]
26
81st
March 30, 1999
Tracy Beckman Donald Ziegler Resigned to accept appointment as Minnesota State Director of the Farm Service Agency [ 18]
32
81st
April 13, 1999
Steven Morse Bob Kierlin Resigned to accept appointment as Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources .
18
81st
November 2, 1999
Janet Johnson Twyla Ring Death (brain tumor)
4
81st
December 14, 1999
David Ten Eyck Tony Kinkel Resigned to accept appointment to the Crow Wing County District Court
7
82nd
January 29, 2002
Sam Solon Yvonne Prettner Solon Death (malignant melanoma )
67
82nd
January 29, 2002
Randy Kelly Mee Moua Resigned upon election to the mayoralty of Saint Paul
37
83rd
July 13, 2004
David Knutson Chris Gerlach Resigned to accept appointment to the Minnesota 1st Judicial District Court
19
84th
November 22, 2005
Mark Ourada Amy Koch Resigned to take a position with non-profit Center for Energy and Economic Development
43
84th
November 22, 2005
David Gaither Terri Bonoff Resigned to accept appointment as Chief of Staff to Governor Tim Pawlenty
15
84th
December 27, 2005
Dave Kleis Tarryl Clark Resigned upon election to the mayoralty of Saint Cloud
25
85th
January 3, 2008
Tom Neuville Kevin Dahle Resigned to accept appointment to the Minnesota 3rd Judicial District Court
63
86th
November 4, 2008
Dan Larson Ken Kelash Resigned to become a lobbyist
16
86th
November 4, 2008
Betsy Wergin Lisa Fobbe Resigned to serve on the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
26
86th
January 26, 2010
Dick Day Mike Parry Resign to become a full-time lobbyist for the state's two horse-racing tracks
66
87th
April 10, 2011
Ellen Anderson Mary Jo McGuire Resigned to accept a position as chair of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
61
87th
October 10, 2011
Linda Berglin Jeff Hayden Resigned to accept a job as a Hennepin County health policy program manager
46
87th
October 10, 2011
Linda Scheid Chris Eaton Death (ovarian cancer )
59
87th
January 10, 2012
Larry Pogemiller Kari Dziedzic Resigned to accept appointment as Director of Higher Education
20
87th
April 10, 2012
Gary Kubly Lyle Koenen Death (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis )
35
89th
February 9, 2016
Branden Petersen Jim Abeler 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 Ann Johnson Stewart Resigned to run for Minnesota's 3rd congressional district [ 23]
60
94th
January 28, 2025
Kari Dziedzic Doron Clark Death (ovarian cancer )[ 24]
Results
See also
References
^ "Results of Special Elections for the Minnesota Legislature, 1849-present" . Minnesota Legislative Reference Library . Retrieved January 4, 2025 .^ Brunswick, Mark (August 13, 1991). "Chenoweth identified as man slain on beach" (PDF) . Star Tribune . Retrieved May 3, 2018 . ^ "Schrom, Ed" . Legislators Past & Present . Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025 .^ "Nichols, James W. "Jim" . Legislators Past & Present . Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025 .^ "Ulland, James E. "Jim" . Minnesota Legislators: Past & Present . Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025 .^ "Willet, Gerald "Jerry" . Minnesota Legislators: Past & Present . Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025 .^ "Darril Wegscheid" . Minnesota Legislators: Past & Present . Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025 .^ "Minnesota Judicial Branch - Bio" . December 27, 2021. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021.^ Fiedler, Terry (April 1, 2014). "Glen Taylor: Soul of a billionaire" . Star Tribune . Retrieved January 21, 2025 . ^ 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 . ^ "Storm, Donald A." Legislators Past & Present . Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 21, 2025 .^ Olson, Rochelle (January 21, 2025). "Former football player, state senator, business leader Duane Benson dies" . Minnesota Star Tribune . Retrieved January 21, 2025 . ^ "Former Senator Betty Adkins dies" . Annandale Advocate . November 8, 2001. Retrieved January 21, 2025 .^ "LUTHER, William Paul" . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . United States Congress. Retrieved January 21, 2025 .^ "Lieutenant governor trivia" . MPR News . Retrieved April 12, 2022 .^ "McGowan, Patrick D. "Pat" . Minnesota Legislative Reference Library . Retrieved January 21, 2025 .^ "Senator's guilty plea has constituents angry, baffled" . Post Bulletin . October 5, 1995. Retrieved January 3, 2025 .^ "Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Beckman, Tracy L" . Leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved July 20, 2010 .^ Stassen-Berger, Rachel E. (September 24, 2015). "Sen. Branden Petersen, pro-gay-marriage GOPer, resigning" . Pioneer Press . Retrieved October 23, 2015 . ^ 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 . ^ 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 . ^ 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 . ^ Morrison, Kelly (June 6, 2024). " . twitter/x . Retrieved June 7, 2024 . ^ 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 . ^ "Index" . Election Results . December 6, 2011. Retrieved January 4, 2025 .^ "Results for State Senator District 60" . Office of the Secretary of State . January 28, 2025. Retrieved January 29, 2025 .
External links
