Rep. Hortman special election: District 34B voters head to polls Tuesday

Special election underway for late Rep. Hortman's seat

Polls are open for Tuesday?s special election to fill late Rep. Melissa Hortman?s seat in District 34B. FOX 9?s Bill Keller has the latest.

(FOX 9) - A special election to fill the seat once held by Rep. Melissa Hortman will go before District 34B voters Tuesday.

Rep. Hortman special election

What we know:

Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, were fatally shot on June 14 in what law enforcement has since called a "targeted" shooting of political violence.

At the time of her death, she had served 11 terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

She served as the Democratic Speaker of the House in Minnesota for six years, starting in 2019, and giving up the role after the 2024 election resulted in an even partisan split.

Vance Boelter – the man accused of killing the Hortmans, while also seriously injuring John and Yvette Hoffman as part of the attack – has been indicted by a grand jury on eight total charges.

Dig deeper:

A primary was held in August to determine which candidates would lobby for the seat.

Ruth Bittner was the sole GOP candidate during the process, while Xp Lee won the nomination for the DFL.

Vance Boelter indicted on first-degree murder

Vance Boelter has been indicted on first-degree murder charges after he killed Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. FOX 9's Mike Manzoni has the story.

District 34B

Special election for Melissa Hortman's Senate seat is Tuesday

Voters will soon decide who will fill the seat formerly held by slain Minnesota House Rep. Melissa Hortman, who was killed in June in a shooting at her Brooklyn Park home.

Local perspective:

The historically blue district covers parts of Anoka and Hennepin counties, including portions of Brooklyn Park, Coon Rapids and Champlin.