Special election Tuesday will determine Minnesota House power balance
MN House 40B special election: What's at stake
A special election for Minnesota House District 40B is on Tuesday, with control of the House of Representatives at stake. FOX 9's Bill Keller shares the details.
ROSEVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - On Tuesday, a special election will be held in Minnesota House District 40B to determine the balance of the House.
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Special election to be held in District 40B
What to expect:
The special election in District 40B will determine the balance of power in the Minnesota House, which currently sits at 67-66.
Republicans currently have a slight advantage over the DFL with 67 members to their 66, but a 68-vote majority is needed to pass anything in the House that has caused a power struggle.
If Republican candidate, Paul Wikstrom, wins, Republicans will have a 68-66 majority. If the DFL candidate, David Gottfried, wins, the House will be tied.
District 40B is in Ramsey County and covers most of Roseville and Shoreview.
Polling places will open Tuesday at 7 a.m. and the polls close by 8 p.m.
To find your polling place, click here.
Vacated District 40B seat
Judge rules MN-40B winner doesn't live in district
Republican Paul Wikstrom challenged the election results of Minnesota House District 40B, and was successful after a judge's ruling. Wikstrom argued that his DFL opponent, Curtis Johnson did not actually live in District 40B.
The backstory:
A judge ruled last December that the initial winner of District 40B, Curtis Johnson, did not meet residency requirements. In February, Gov. Tim Walz issued a writ of special election to set the date of the election.
The ruling from the judge came after Wikstrom filed a lawsuit that argued Johnson's primary residence wasn't in the district, and, according to state statute, that is a violation of election residency requirements. The Minnesota law says that at the time of the general election, a candidate must have lived in the state for one year and lived in the district for six months.
READ MORE: Minnesota House 40B residency challenge successful: What it means
The lawsuit said that in March, Johnson signed an apartment lease at Rosedale Estates in Roseville, then registered in May to be in the state primary. While campaigning, Wikstrom encountered a former Roseville city council member who made him aware that his opponent had recently leased a studio apartment in the district. In August, Wikstrom’s campaign team then started monitoring when Johnson was coming and going from his Little Canada home to his Roseville apartment.
The lawsuit said Johnson’s vehicles were in Little Canada in the morning and evening, and he did not appear to be at the Roseville apartment at all. Entered in as evidence are detailed time logs, videos, and more to prove to the judge that Johnson does not live in the apartment.
Johnson decided not to appeal the judge's decision, and resigned from his House seat, leaving the House imbalanced.