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Minnesota House of Representatives
93rd Minnesota Legislature
Type
Type	Lower house of the Minnesota Legislature
Term limits	None
History
New session started	January 3, 2023 (2023-01-03)
Leadership
Speaker	Melissa Hortman (DFL) since January 8, 2019
Speaker pro tempore	Dan Wolgamott (DFL) since January 3, 2023
Majority Leader	Jamie Long (DFL) since January 3, 2023
Minority Leader	Lisa Demuth (R) since January 3, 2023
Structure
Seats	134
Political groups	DFL (70)   Republican (64)
Length of term	2 years
Authority	Article IV, Minnesota Constitution
Salary	$51,750/year + per diem
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post
Last election	November 5, 2024
Next election	November 3, 2026
Redistricting	Legislative control
Meeting place
House of Representatives chamber Minnesota State Capitol Saint Paul, Minnesota
Website
house.mn.gov
Rules
23–24 Permanent Rules of the House

The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house of the U.S. state of Minnesota's legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper house, to craft and pass legislation, which is then subject to approval by the governor of Minnesota.

Established in 1858, the Minnesota House of Representatives has 134 members elected from single-member districts across the state. Representatives serve two-year terms without term limits, with all seats up for election every two years. The House is led by the Speaker, who is elected by members of the House, while political party leadership is governed by the Majority and Minority Leaders.

The Minnesota House of Representatives meets in the north wing of the State Capitol in Saint Paul. Member and staff offices, as well as most committee hearings, are in the nearby State Office Building.

History

The Minnesota House of Representatives was officially established on May 11, 1858, when Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd state in the Union. It replaced the Minnesota Territorial Legislature. It was formed alongside the Minnesota Senate to create the Minnesota State Legislature, the bicameral legislative body of the state.

In 1913, Minnesota legislators began to be elected on nonpartisan ballots. While campaigning and caucusing, legislators identified themselves as "Liberals" or "Conservatives." In 1973, a law change brought party designations back, beginning with the 1974 Minnesota House of Representatives election.

After the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920, women were eligible for election to the legislature. In 1922, Mabeth Hurd Paige, Hannah Kempfer, Sue Metzger Dickey Hough, and Myrtle Cain were elected to the House of Representatives. As of 2023, a record-high 54 women serve in the House.

Elections

Each Senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B (for example, House district 32B is in Senate district 32). Members are elected to two-year terms. Districts are redrawn after the decennial United States Census in time for the primary and general elections in years ending in 2. The most recent election was on November 8, 2022.

Composition

93rd Minnesota Legislature (2023–2025)

Members, 2023–24

The 2023–24 Minnesota Legislature was sworn into office on January 3, 2023 with 70 DFL members and 64 Republican members.

The effects of redistricting and a large number of retirements at the end of the previous session resulted in 39 races without an incumbent. 16 races went uncontested, all in noncompetitive districts. In the 2022 Minnesota House of Representatives elections, eight incumbents lost, with five Republicans and three DFLers failing to be reelected.

The 2023-24 class of representatives has 47 newly elected members, or 35% of the total membership. Of those 47, 25 are Republican and 19 are DFL. Three former DFL members returned to the chamber for non-consecutive terms (Jeff Brand, Jerry Newton and Brad Tabke).

On September 1, 2023, DFL Representative Ruth Richardson announced her resignation, effective immediately, from the House to focus on her role at Planned Parenthood. In a special election held on December 5, DFL nominee Bianca Virnig won the seat by 17 points.

On February 11, 2024, Republican Representative Kurt Daudt resigned. In a special election held on March 19, 2024, Republican nominee Bryan Lawrence won the seat by 69 points.

On May 28, 2024, DFL Representative Heather Edelson resigned after being elected to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners.

On July 5, 2024, DFL Representative Liz Olson resigned in order to take a position at the McKnight Foundation.

On July 14, 2024, Republican Representative Pat Garofalo resigned.

Historical composition

Past notable members

U.S. senators from Minnesota

• Wendell R. Anderson, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1976–1978); 33rd governor of Minnesota (1971–1976)
• Cushman Kellogg Davis, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1887–1900); 7th governor of Minnesota (1874–1876)
• Alonzo J. Edgerton, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1881–1881)
• Magnus Johnson, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1923–1925); U.S. representative from Minnesota's general ticket Seat Five district (1933–1935)
• Ernest Lundeen, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1937–1940); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 3rd district (1917–1919); U.S. representative from Minnesota's general ticket Seat Eight district (1933–1935); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 3rd district (1935–1937)
• Dwight M. Sabin, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1883–1889); Chair of the Republican National Committee (1883–1884)
• William D. Washburn, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1889–1895); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 3rd district (1879–1883) and 4th district (1883–1885)

Governors of Minnesota

• Wendell R. Anderson, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1976–1978); 33rd governor of Minnesota (1971–1976)
• Joseph A. A. Burnquist, 19th governor of Minnesota (1915–1921); 20th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1913–1915); 21st attorney general of Minnesota (1939–1955)
• Arne Carlson, 37th governor of Minnesota (1991–1999); 14th auditor of Minnesota (1979–1991)
• Cushman Kellogg Davis, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1887–1900); 7th governor of Minnesota (1874–1876)
• William Rush Merriam, 11th governor of Minnesota (1889–1893)
• Stephen Miller, 4th governor of Minnesota (1864–1866)
• Tim Pawlenty, 39th governor of Minnesota (2003–2011)
• Hjalmar Petersen, 23rd governor of Minnesota (1936–1937); 28th lieutenant governor of Minnesota
• Samuel Rinnah Van Sant, 15th governor of Minnesota (1901–1905)

Lieutenant governors of Minnesota

• Henry M. Arens, 26th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1931–1933); U.S. representative from Minnesota's General Ticket Seat One district (1933–1935)
• Thomas H. Armstrong, 5th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1866–1870)
• Alphonso Barto; 7th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1874–1876)
• Frank A. Day, 13th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1895–1897)
• Ignatius L. Donnelly, 2nd lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1860–1863); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 2nd district (1863–1869)
• Peggy Flanagan, 50th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (2019–present)
• John L. Gibbs, 14th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1897–1899)
• Charles A. Gilman, 9th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1880–1887)
• Samuel Y. Gordon, 19th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1911–1913)
• Carol Molnau, 46th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (2003–2011)
• William I. Nolan, 26th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1925–1929); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 5th district (1929–1933)
• Charles D. Sherwood, 4th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1864–1866)
• Konrad K. Solberg, 27th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1933–1935)
• James Wakefield, 9th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1876–1880); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 2nd district (1883–1887)
• William H. Yale, 6th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1870–1874)

Attorneys general of Minnesota

• Joseph A. A. Burnquist, 19th governor of Minnesota (1915–1921); 20th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1913–1915); 21st attorney general of Minnesota (1939–1955)
• Gordon E. Cole, 2nd attorney general of Minnesota (1860–1866)
• William J. Colvill, 3rd attorney general of Minnesota (1866–1888); Union colonel during the U.S. Civil War (1861–1863)
• Francis R. E. Cornell, 4th attorney general of Minnesota (1868–1874)
• Wallace B. Douglas, 10th attorney general of Minnesota (1899–1904)
• Keith Ellison, 30th attorney general of Minnesota (2019–present); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 5th district (2007–2019); deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee (2017–2018)
• Douglas M. Head, 25th attorney general of Minnesota (1967–1971)
• Albert F. Pratt, 16th attorney general of Minnesota (1927–1928)
• George P. Wilson, 5th attorney general of Minnesota (1874–1880)
• Edward T. Young 12th attorney general of Minnesota (1905–1909)

Treasurers of Minnesota

• Joseph Bobleter, 8th treasurer of Minnesota (1887–1895)
• Carl A. Halverson, 18th treasurer of Minnesota (1937–1939)
• August T. Koerner, 9th treasurer of Minnesota (1895–1901)
• Emil D. Munch, 3rd treasurer of Minnesota (1868–1872)
• William Pfaender, 6th treasurer of Minnesota (1876–1880)
• Henry Rines 15th treasurer of Minnesota (1917–1925)
• Edward W. Stark, 16th treasurer of Minnesota (1925–1927)

U.S. representatives from Minnesota

• Henry M. Arens, 26th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1931–1933); U.S. representative from Minnesota's General Ticket Seat One district (1933–1935)
• Ignatius L. Donnelly, 2nd lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1860–1863); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 2nd district (1863–1869)
• Keith Ellison, 30th attorney general of Minnesota (2019–present); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 5th district (2007–2019); deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee (2017–2018)
• Tom Emmer, U.S. House of Representatives majority whip (2023–present); chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee (2019–2023); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 6th district (2015–present)
• Arlen Erdahl, 18th secretary of state of Minnesota (1971–1975); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 1st district (1979–1983)
• Brad Finstad, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 1st district (2022–present)
• Gil Gutknecht, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 1st district (1995–2007)
• Magnus Johnson, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1923–1925); U.S. representative from Minnesota's general ticket Seat Five district (1933–1935)
• Ernest Lundeen, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1937–1940); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 3rd district (1917–1919); U.S. representative from Minnesota's general ticket Seat Eight district (1933–1935); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 3rd district (1935–1937)
• Betty McCollum, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 4th district (2001–present)
• Rick Nolan, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 8th district (2013–2019); 6th district (1975–1981)
• William I. Nolan, 26th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1925–1929); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 5th district (1929–1933)
• Ilhan Omar, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 5th district (2019–present)
• Erik Paulsen, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 3rd district (2009–2019)
• James Wakefield, 9th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1876–1880); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 2nd district (1883–1887)
• William D. Washburn, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1889–1895); U.S. representative from Minnesota's 3rd district (1879–1883) and 4th district (1883–1885)
• Thomas Wilson, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 1st district (1887–1889); Chief justice of the supreme court of Minnesota (1865–1869); associate justice of the supreme court of Minnesota (1864–1865)

Others

• Francis Baasen, 1st secretary of state of Minnesota (1858–1860)
• Robert C. Dunn, 6th auditor of Minnesota (1895–1903)
• Joan Growe, 19th secretary of state of Minnesota (1975–1999)
• Samuel G. Iverson, 7th auditor of Minnesota (1903–1915)
• Mary Kiffmeyer, 20th secretary of state of Minnesota (1999–2007)
• William O'Brien, 11th auditor of Minnesota (1969–1971)
• Rebecca Otto, 18th auditor of Minnesota (2007–2019)
• Steve Simon, 22nd secretary of state of Minnesota (2015–present)

See also

• Minnesota Senate
• Minnesota Legislature
• Past composition of the House of Representatives
• Political party strength in Minnesota
• List of speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives
• List of Minnesota state legislatures

Notes

1. ^ Elected in a special election.
2. Elected in a special election. Lost re-election in 2006. Elected again in 2008.

References

1. "Frequently Asked Questions - Representatives and Senators - Minnesota Legislature".
2. "Party Control of the Minnesota House of Representatives - Minnesota Legislative Reference Library". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
3. "Women Wielding Power: Pioneer Female State Legislators". National Women's History Museum. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
4. "Women in the Legislature Over Time - Tables". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
5. "Minn. Const. art. IV, § 4". Constitution of the State of Minnesota. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
6. Ruth Richardson (District 52B) resigned to focus on her role at Planned Parenthood.
7. Bianca Virnig elected in a Special Election for House District 52B.
8. Kurt Daudt (District 27B) resigned.
9. Bryan Lawrence elected in a Special Election for House District 27B.
10. Heather Edelson (District 50A) resigned.
11. Liz Olson (District 8A) resigned.
12. Pat Garofalo (District 58B) resigned.
13. ^ Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services (January 5, 2023). "2022 ELECTION DIRECTORY for the 2023-2024 MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE" (PDF). Minnesota House of Representatives. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
14. Miles, Kyra (September 2, 2023). "Minnesota State Rep. Ruth Richardson resigns to focus on Planned Parenthood role". MPR News. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
15. MPR News Staff (December 5, 2023). "Democrats keep Dakota County seat in Minnesota House special election". MPR News. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
16. Mohr, Jonathan (January 10, 2024). "Former House speaker Daudt announces resignation". Minnesota Legislature. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
17. Mohr, Jonathan (March 20, 2024). "Republican candidate easily wins District 27B special election". Minnesota Legislature. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
18. "Final Legislative Update". Minnesota Legislature. May 24, 2024. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
19. "RELEASE: Rep. Liz Olson announces plans to step down from Minnesota House". Minnesota Legislature. June 27, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
20. "Garofalo to resign from House". Minnesota Legislature. July 9, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
21. "Party Control of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1951–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Archived from the original on November 9, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.

External links

• Official website

44°57′20″N 93°6′8″W / 44.95556°N 93.10222°W / 44.95556; -93.10222

• Minnesota Legislature
• State lower houses in the United States