Minnesota House of Representatives explained

Minnesota House of Representatives
Legislature:	93rd Minnesota Legislature
Coa Pic:	Seal of Minnesota.svg
House Type:	Lower house
Body:	Minnesota Legislature
Term Limits:	None
Leader1 Type:	Speaker
Leader1:	Melissa Hortman (DFL)
Election1:	January 8, 2019
Leader2 Type:	Speaker Pro Tempore
Leader2:	Dan Wolgamott (DFL)
Election2:	January 3, 2023
Leader3 Type:	Majority Leader
Leader3:	Jamie Long (DFL)
Election3:	January 3, 2023
Leader4 Type:	Minority Leader
Leader4:	Lisa Demuth (R)
Election4:	January 3, 2023
Members:	134
Structure1:	MNHouseStructure2020.svg
Structure1 Res:	250
Term Length:	2 years
Authority:	Article IV, Minnesota Constitution
Salary:	$51,750/year + per diem ^[1]
Voting System1:	First-past-the-post
Last Election1:	November 8, 2022
Next Election1:	November 5, 2024
Redistricting:	Legislative control
Session Room:	File:Minnesota House of Representatives Chamber at the State Capitol in St Paul, Minnesota (53725599510).jpg
Meeting Place:	House of Representatives chamber Minnesota State Capitol Saint Paul, Minnesota
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.^[2]

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.^[3] As of 2023, a record-high 54 women serve in the House.^[4]

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.^[5] 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)

	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total	Vacant
	Democratic– Farmer–Labor	Republican
nowrap style="font-size:80%"	End of the previous Legislature		70	64	134	0
Begin 2023		70	64	134	0
September 1, 2023^[6]		69		133	1
December 5, 2023^[7]	rowspan="3"	70		134	0
February 11, 2024^[8]	63	133	1
March 19, 2024^[9]	64	134	0
May 28, 2024^[10]			69	133	1
Latest voting share

Members, 2023–24

The 2023–24 Minnesota Legislature was sworn into office on January 3, 2023 with 70 DFL members and 64 Republican members.^[11]

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.^[12] In a special election held on December 5, DFL nominee Bianca Virnig won the seat by 17 points.^[13]

On February 11, 2024, Republican Representative Kurt Daudt resigned.^[14] In a special election held on March 19, 2024, Republican nominee Bryan Lawrence won the seat by 69 points.^[15]

On May 28, 2024, DFL Representative Heather Edelson resigned after being elected to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners.^[16]

District		Name	Party		Residence	First elected
1	A	John Burkel		Republican	Badger	2020
	B	Deb Kiel		Republican	Crookston	2010
2	A	Matt Grossell		Republican	Clearbrook	2016
	B	Matt Bliss		Republican	Pennington	2016
3	A	Roger Skraba		Republican	Ely	2022
	B	Natalie Zeleznikar		Republican	Fredenberg Township	2022
4	A	Heather Keeler		DFL	Moorhead	2020
	B	Jim Joy		Republican	Hawley	2022
5	A	Krista Knudsen		Republican	Lake Shore	2022
	B	Mike Wiener		Republican	Long Prairie	2022
6	A	Ben Davis		Republican	Merrifield	2022
	B	Josh Heintzeman		Republican	Nisswa	2014
7	A	Spencer Igo		Republican	Grand Rapids	2020
	B	Dave Lislegard		DFL	Aurora	2018
8	A	Liz Olson		DFL	Duluth	2016
	B	Alicia Kozlowski		DFL	Duluth	2022
9	A	Jeff Backer		Republican	Browns Valley	2014
	B	Tom Murphy		Republican	Underwood	2022
10	A	Ron Kresha		Republican	Little Falls	2012
	B	Isaac Schultz		Republican	Elmdale Township	2022
11	A	Jeff Dotseth		Republican	Kettle River	2022
	B	Nathan Nelson		Republican	Hinckley	2019
12	A	Paul Anderson		Republican	Starbuck	2008
	B	Mary Franson		Republican	Alexandria	2010
13	A	Lisa Demuth		Republican	Cold Spring	2018
	B	Tim O'Driscoll		Republican	Sartell	2010
14	A	Bernie Perryman		Republican	St. Augusta	2022
	B	Dan Wolgamott		DFL	St. Cloud	2018
15	A	Chris Swedzinski		Republican	Ghent	2010
	B	Paul Torkelson		Republican	Hanska	2008
16	A	Dean Urdahl		Republican	Grove City	2002
	B	Dave Baker		Republican	Willmar	2014
17	A	Dawn Gillman		Republican	Dassel	2022
	B	Bobbie Harder		Republican	Henderson	2022
18	A	Jeff Brand		DFL	St. Peter	2018
	B	Luke Frederick		DFL	Mankato	2020
19	A	Brian Daniels		Republican	Faribault	2014
	B	John Petersburg		Republican	Waseca	2012
20	A	Pam Altendorf		Republican	Red Wing	2022
	B	Steven Jacob		Republican	Altura	2022
21	A	Joe Schomacker		Republican	Luverne	2010
	B	Marj Fogelman		Republican	Fulda	2022
22	A	Bjorn Olson		Republican	Elmore	2020
	B	Brian Pfarr		Republican	Le Sueur	2020
23	A	Peggy Bennett		Republican	Albert Lea	2014
	B	Patricia Mueller		Republican	Austin	2020
24	A	Duane Quam		Republican	Byron	2010
	B	Tina Liebling		DFL	Rochester	2004
25	A	Kim Hicks		DFL	Rochester	2022
	B	Andy Smith		DFL	Rochester	2022
26	A	Gene Pelowski		DFL	Winona	1986
	B	Greg Davids		Republican	Preston	1991
27	A	Shane Mekeland		Republican	Clear Lake	2018
	B	Bryan Lawrence		Republican	Princeton	2024
28	A	Brian Johnson		Republican	Castle Rock	2012
	B	Anne Neu		Republican	North Branch	2017
29	A	Joe McDonald		Republican	Delano	2010
	B	Marion O'Neill		Republican	Maple Lake	2012
30	A	Walter Hudson		Republican	Albertville	2022
	B	Paul Novotny		Republican	Elk River	2020
31	A	Harry Niska		Republican	Ramsey	2022
	B	Peggy Scott		Republican	Andover	2008
32	A	Nolan West		Republican	Blaine	2016
	B	Matt Norris		DFL	Blaine	2022
33	A	Patti Anderson		Republican	Dellwood	2022
	B	Josiah Hill		DFL	Stillwater	2022
34	A	Danny Nadeau		Republican	Rogers	2022
	B	Melissa Hortman		DFL	Brooklyn Park	2004
35	A	Zack Stephenson		DFL	Coon Rapids	2018
	B	Jerry Newton		DFL	Coon Rapids	2009
36	A	Elliott Engen		Republican	White Bear Township	2022
	B	Brion Curran		DFL	Vadnais Heights	2022
37	A	Kristin Robbins		Republican	Maple Grove	2018
	B	Kristin Bahner		DFL	Maple Grove	2018
38	A	Mike Nelson		DFL	Brooklyn Park	2002
	B	Samantha Vang		DFL	Brooklyn Center	2018
39	A	Erin Koegel		DFL	Spring Lake Park	2016
	B	Sandra Feist		DFL	New Brighton	2020
40	A	Kelly Moller		DFL	Shoreview	2018
	B	Jamie Becker-Finn		DFL	Roseville	2016
41	A	Mark Wiens		Republican	Lake Elmo	2022
	B	Shane Hudella		Republican	Hastings	2022
42	A	Ned Carroll		DFL	Plymouth	2022
	B	Ginny Klevorn		DFL	Plymouth	2018
43	A	Cedrick Frazier		DFL	New Hope	2020
	B	Mike Freiberg		DFL	Golden Valley	2012
44	A	Peter Fischer		DFL	Maplewood	2012
	B	Leon Lillie		DFL	North St. Paul	2004
45	A	Andrew Myers		Republican	Minnetonka Beach	2022
	B	Patty Acomb		DFL	Minnetonka	2018
46	A	Larry Kraft		DFL	St. Louis Park	2022
	B	Cheryl Youakim		DFL	Hopkins	2014
47	A	Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger		DFL	Woodbury	2022
	B	Ethan Cha		DFL	Woodbury	2022
48	A	Jim Nash		Republican	Waconia	2014
	B	Lucy Rehm		DFL	Chanhassen	2022
49	A	Laurie Pryor		DFL	Minnetonka	2016
	B	Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn		DFL	Eden Prairie	2018
50	A	Vacant
	B	Steve Elkins		DFL	Bloomington	2018
51	A	Michael Howard		DFL	Richfield	2018
	B	Nathan Coulter		DFL	Bloomington	2022
52	A	Liz Reyer		DFL	Eagan	2020
	B	Bianca Virnig		DFL	Egan	2023
53	A	Mary Frances Clardy		DFL	Inver Grove Heights	2022
	B	Rick Hansen		DFL	South St. Paul	2004
54	A	Brad Tabke		DFL	Shakopee	2018
	B	Ben Bakeberg		Republican	Jordan	2022
55	A	Jessica Hanson		DFL	Burnsville	2020
	B	Kaela Berg		DFL	Burnsville	2020
56	A	Robert Bierman		DFL	Apple Valley	2018
	B	John Huot		DFL	Rosemount	2018
57	A	Jon Koznick		Republican	Lakeville	2014
	B	Jeff Witte		Republican	Lakeville	2022
58	A	Kristi Pursell		DFL	Northfield	2022
	B	Pat Garofalo		Republican	Farmington	2004
59	A	Fue Lee		DFL	Minneapolis	2016
	B	Esther Agbaje		DFL	Minneapolis	2020
60	A	Sydney Jordan		DFL	Minneapolis	2020
	B	Mohamud Noor		DFL	Minneapolis	2018
61	A	Frank Hornstein		DFL	Minneapolis	2002
	B	Jamie Long		DFL	Minneapolis	2018
62	A	Aisha Gomez		DFL	Minneapolis	2018
	B	Hodan Hassan		DFL	Minneapolis	2018
63	A	Samantha Sencer-Mura		DFL	Minneapolis	2022
	B	Emma Greenman		DFL	Minneapolis	2020
64	A	Kaohly Her		DFL	Saint Paul	2018
	B	Dave Pinto		DFL	Saint Paul	2014
65	A	Samakab Hussein		DFL	Saint Paul	2022
	B	María Isa Pérez-Vega		DFL	Saint Paul	2022
66	A	Leigh Finke		DFL	Saint Paul	2022
	B	Athena Hollins		DFL	Saint Paul	2020
67	A	Liz Lee		DFL	Saint Paul	2022
	B	Jay Xiong		DFL	Saint Paul	2018

Historical composition

1986	83 51
1988	81 53
1990	80 54
1992	87 47
1994	71 63
1996	70 64
1998	63 71
2000	65 69
2002	52 82
2004	66 68
2006	85 49
2008	87 47
2010	62 72
2012	73 61
2014	62 72
2016	57 77
2018	75 59
2020	70 64
2022	70 64

Past notable members

• Wendell R. Anderson, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1976–1978); 33rd governor of Minnesota (1971–1976)
• 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)
• Francis Baasen, 1st secretary of state of Minnesota 1(858–1860)
• Joseph Bobleter, 8th treasurer of Minnesota (1887–1895)
• 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)
• 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)
• Cushman Kellogg Davis, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1887–1900); 7th 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)
• Wallace B. Douglas, 10th attorney general of Minnesota (1899–1904)
• Robert C. Dunn, 6th auditor of Minnesota (1895–1903)
• Alonzo J. Edgerton, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1881–1881)
• 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)
• 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)
• Joan Growe, 19th secretary of state of Minnesota (1975–1999)
• Gil Gutknecht, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 1st district (1995–2007)
• Carl A. Halverson, 18th treasurer of Minnesota (1937–1939)
• Douglas M. Head, 25th attorney general of Minnesota (1967–1971)
• Samuel G. Iverson, 7th auditor of Minnesota (1903–1915)
• Magnus Johnson, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1923–1925); U.S. representative from Minnesota's general ticket Seat Five district (1933–1935)
• Mary Kiffmeyer, 20th secretary of state of Minnesota (1999–2007)
• August T. Koerner, 9th treasurer of Minnesota (1895–1901)
• 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)
• William Rush Merriam, 11th governor of Minnesota (1889–1893)
• Stephen Miller, 4th governor of Minnesota (1864–1866)
• Carol Molnau, 46th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (2003–2011)
• Emil D. Munch, 3rd treasurer of Minnesota (1868–1872)
• 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)
• William O'Brien, 11th auditor of Minnesota (1969–1971)
• Ilhan Omar, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 5th district (2019–present)
• Rebecca Otto, 18th auditor of Minnesota (2007–2019)
• Erik Paulsen, U.S. representative from Minnesota's 3rd district (2009–2019)
• Tim Pawlenty, 39th governor of Minnesota (2003–2011)
• Hjalmar Petersen, 23rd governor of Minnesota (1936–1937); 28th lieutenant governor of Minnesota
• William Pfaender, 6th treasurer of Minnesota (1876–1880)
• Albert F. Pratt, 16th attorney general of Minnesota (1927–1928)
• Henry Rines 15th treasurer of Minnesota (1917–1925)
• Dwight M. Sabin, U.S. senator from Minnesota (1883–1889); Chair of the Republican National Committee (1883–1884)
• Charles D. Sherwood, 4th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1864–1866)
• Steve Simon, 22nd secretary of state of Minnesota (2015–present)
• Edward W. Stark, 16th treasurer of Minnesota (1925–1927)
• Konrad K. Solberg, 27th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1933–1935)
• Samuel Rinnah Van Sant, 15th governor of Minnesota (1901–1905)
• 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)
• George P. Wilson, 5th attorney general of Minnesota (1874–1880)
• 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)
• William H. Yale, 6th lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1870–1874)
• Edward T. Young 12th attorney general of Minnesota (1905–1909)

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 and References

1. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions - Representatives and Senators - Minnesota Legislature .
2. Web site: Party Control of the Minnesota House of Representatives - Minnesota Legislative Reference Library . 2023-02-17 . www.lrl.mn.gov.
3. Web site: Women Wielding Power: Pioneer Female State Legislators. National Women's History Museum. March 29, 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110604004421/http://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/legislators/Minnesota.html. June 4, 2011. mdy-all.
4. Web site: Women in the Legislature Over Time - Tables . 2023-02-17 . www.lrl.mn.gov.
5. Web site: Minn. Const. art. IV, § 4 . Constitution of the State of Minnesota . January 24, 2013.
6. [Ruth Richardson (American politician)|Ruth Richardson]
7. [Bianca Virnig]
8. [Kurt Daudt]
9. [Bryan Lawrence (politician)|Bryan Lawrence]
10. [Heather Edelson]
11. Web site: Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services . 2023-01-05 . 2022 ELECTION DIRECTORY for the 2023-2024 MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE . 2023-01-07 . Minnesota House of Representatives.
12. Web site: Miles . Kyra . 2023-09-02 . Minnesota State Rep. Ruth Richardson resigns to focus on Planned Parenthood role . 2023-12-07 . MPR News . en.
13. Web site: MPR News Staff . 2023-12-05 . Democrats keep Dakota County seat in Minnesota House special election . 2023-12-07 . MPR News . en.
14. Web site: Mohr . Jonathan . 2024-01-10 . Former House speaker Daudt announces resignation . 2024-03-22 . Minnesota Legislature . en.
15. Web site: Mohr . Jonathan . 2024-03-20 . Republican candidate easily wins District 27B special election . 2024-03-22 . Minnesota Legislature . en.
16. Web site: 2024-05-24 . Final Legislative Update . 2024-06-02 . Minnesota Legislature . en.