Tuesday special election primaries narrow field for two Minnesota House seats, with control of chamber at stake

[RandySF]

ST. PAUL and WOODBURY, Minn. Voters in parts of St. Paul and the east metro area went to the polls Tuesday, Dec. 16, for special primary elections that will determine the Democratic-Farmer-Labor nominees for two vacant seats in the Minnesota House of Representatives. The contests will set the stage for special general elections on Jan. 27, 2026, races that will play a decisive role in whether the House enters the new legislative session tied or under single party control.

The vacancies stem from the November 2025 general election, which reshaped the Legislature as two incumbent DFL lawmakers left the House after winning higher office. With the Minnesota Legislature scheduled to convene its 2026 session on Feb. 17, the outcome of these January contests is expected to influence leadership structure, committee control, and the trajectory of major legislation in the coming year.



https://minneapolimedia.town.news/g/coon-rapids-mn/n/352655/tuesday-special-election-primaries-narrow-field-two-minnesota-house-seats

[progree]

1. If DFLers win both seats, as expected, it will be a 67-67 tie in the House. Senate is 34D - 33R

The Minnesota House is poised on a political knife edge. Once the two vacancies are filled, the chamber is projected to stand at a 67 to 67 split between Democrats and Republicans if the DFL retains both seats. Such an outcome would again require a rare power sharing arrangement, with evenly divided committees and negotiated leadership roles.

68 votes are needed to pass a bill in the House
https://www.democraticunderground.com/105915056

The Senate is 34 D - 33 R.