Election 2024: Control of Minnesota House still uncertain
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Editor’s note: MPR News staff will be updating this story with election news and analysis throughout Wednesday so check back for updates. See our live updates from Election Day here.
Find the latest results in all elections at elections.mpr.org.
4:45 p.m.: Bloomington votes to keep ranked choice voting
Bloomington voters on Tuesday rejected a ballot measure to repeal the city’s ranked choice voting system and reinstate primary elections for mayor and city council elections.
At the polls, 51 percent of voters were in favor of maintaining ranked choice voting, which was adopted by the city in 2020 and has been used in elections there in 2021 and 2023.
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Under ranked choice voting, voters can rank all candidates in order of preference. If a candidate receives more than half of the votes, they win that election.
If no candidate meets this threshold, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is eliminated and the second choice of those who marked that candidate as their first choice is counted. This process repeats until a candidate receives a majority of the votes.
Bloomington is one of five Minnesota cities to use ranked choice voting for these elections including Minneapolis and St. Paul.
More than 545,000 ranked choice ballots have been cast in Minnesota since 2009 when Minneapolis began using the system, according to FairVote Minnesota.Advocates for ranked choice voting argue that the system gives voters more choices and fairer representation.
— Calli Hadler
1:15 p.m.: AP: Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin wins reelection in close race
Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin has won a third term, delivering a victory for Democrats in the swing state that President-elect Donald Trump carried on Tuesday.
Baldwin defeated Republican challenger Eric Hovde, a bank owner and real estate investor endorsed by Trump. Hovde has not conceded the race, which was within the 1-percentage point margin that would allow for him to seek a recount, based on unofficial results.
“The voters have spoken and our campaign has won,” Baldwin said after the Associated Press called the race. “The people of Wisconsin have chosen someone who always puts Wisconsin first, someone who shows up, listens, and works with everyone to get the job done.”
Baldwin declared victory earlier Wednesday after the tally of absentee ballots from Milwaukee was reported. She had a lead of 0.9 percent based on the unofficial results, just within the 1 percent margin that would allow for Hovde to request a recount if he pays for it.
In a statement before the AP called the race, Hovde didn’t concede or say whether he would request a recount.
Although Baldwin’s voting record is liberal, she emphasized bipartisanship throughout her campaign. She became the first statewide Democratic candidate in more than 20 years to win an endorsement from the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization.
Hovde tried to portray Baldwin as an out-of-touch liberal career politician who hadn’t done enough to combat inflation, illegal immigration and crime.
— Associated Press
11:30 a.m.: Despite losing Minnesota, Trump won more votes in 2024 than any past Republican running statewide
While President-elect Trump lost Minnesota for a third time, he won a higher percentage and more votes than he did in his prior two campaigns. His more than 1.5 million votes were the most any Republican has received in a statewide race, according to statistics kept by the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office.
While Trump boosted his vote tally by about 30,000 compared with his 2020 mark, Kamala Harris received about 63,000 votes fewer than Democratic nominee Joe Biden did four years ago in the unofficial count.
— Brian Bakst
11 a.m.: Minnesota House speaker reacts to potential deadlock between DFL, GOP
With the Minnesota House of Representative headed for a potential tie between Republicans and Democrats — current DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman said she expects such a result would spur compromise.
With all precincts reporting Wednesday, the GOP and DFL had each won or were leading in 67 seats. At least two of those races are likely headed to publicly funded recounts, due to the narrow margin of victory.
“The voters want us to get our work done. And if they’re asking us at 67-67 to work together to get things done, that is exactly what we will do,” Hortman told MPR host Cathy Wurzer on Wednesday’s Morning Edition, noting how the two parties had to work together in recent years when Republicans held control of the state Senate.
Hortman said passing bonding measures could be easier in a shared-power situation. She also predicted that the effects of an even party split could also be somewhat muted because of a less-ambitious legislative agenda, following significant measures passed by Democrats in recent sessions.
“The system absorbed a lot of change in 23 and 24 — and so going forward, it was likely to be a less change-oriented session and biennium, regardless of who was in control,” she said.
— MPR News staff
10:15 a.m.: Minnesota voters react to presidential outcome
At the ballot box on Tuesday, and in post-election comments on Wednesday, Minnesota voters were sharply divided on the presidential race.
Republican Donald Trump won a second term in the White House — though he trailed Democrat Kamala Harris in Minnesota by about 51 percent to 47 percent.
Daniela de los Rios of Minneapolis was among the Minnesotans who voted for Trump, saying Wednesday that a second Trump presidency “just feels like it’s going to be way more innovative and what we could use right now, than just staying the same.”
De los Rios said she liked the energy of the Trump campaign, and its inclusion of “innovators” like businessman Elon Musk.
Dominique Evans of Minneapolis voted for Harris and said she feared that Trump’s victory means some of the policies from the Biden administration — like student loan forgiveness — will be eliminated.
“I’m afraid that we’re going to lose a lot of things, especially being a woman,” said Evans. “I feel like we’re losing a lot of freedom, a lot of resources. It’s really hard to plan for the future right now, because I can’t really understand what’s next.”
10 a.m.: Control of Minnesota House still uncertain
ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Senate will stay in DFL control, but the outcome of the state House of Representatives still hung in the balance Wednesday morning.
Results from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website early Wednesday showed each party winning or leading in the race for 67 seats — with at least two seats poised for publicly funded recounts due to a margin of less than 0.5 percent.
The two races that appeared close enough to trigger publicly funded recounts were:
Central Minnesota’s District 14B, where incumbent Democratic Rep. Dan Wolgamott was leading Republican Sue Ek by 28 votes — 0.14 percent
District 54A in the southwest Twin Cities metro area, where Democratic Rep. Brad Tabke was leading Republican Aaron Paul by 13 votes — 0.06 percent
Three other House seats flipped from Democrats to Republicans: Open seats in District 7B on the Iron Range and District 26A in the Winona area, and in District 18A where Republican challenger Erica Schwartz ousted DFL Rep. Jeff Brand of St. Peter.
The DFL held a 70-64 majority at the end of last session.
The results of this election will determine what lawmakers can move forward in terms of the state’s next two-year budget funding public schools, health care programs, law enforcement and a range of state agencies.
DFLers have run Minnesota the past two years with control of both houses of the Legislature and the governor’s office.
— MPR News staff
8:45 a.m.: Minnesota voters overwhelmingly support lottery money for natural resources
Minnesota voters strongly supported renewing a constitutional amendment that dedicates revenue from the state’s lottery toward protecting the environment and natural resources.
With all precincts reporting Wednesday, an estimated 77.49 percent of voters had backed renewing the amendment.
To pass, a majority of all voters needed to approve the amendment. Leaving a ballot blank constituted a “no” vote.
The amendment was first approved in 1988, and extended 10 years later. Since 1991, more than $1 billion in lottery proceeds have been funneled into more than 1,700 projects around the state.
If the results hold and the measure is approved, the amendment will increase the amount of money that can be spent from the fund each year by an additional 1.5 percent. The extra revenue will fund a new community grant program designed for underserved communities and organizations.
— Kirsti Marohn, MPR News staff
8:35 a.m.: St. Paul rejects child care funding, approves moving city elections to presidential election years
ST. PAUL — Voters in St. Paul rejected a proposal to spend $20 million over 10 years to pay for child care for low-income families.
Nearly 60 percent of people voted against the proposal. Mayor Melvin Carter spoke out against the child care measure, saying it “cannot deliver the policy that it promises.”
In a separate ballot measure, St. Paul voters endorsed a proposal to move city elections to presidential election years. Council members elected in 2023 will serve five-year terms and a mayoral election will be held Nov. 4, 2025, to fill a three-year term.
— Anna Haecherl
8:30 a.m.: Republicans retain control of Wisconsin Legislature despite new maps
Republicans emerged from Tuesday’s elections still in complete control of the Wisconsin Legislature, overcoming new district boundaries that Democrats had hoped would give them a chance at finally making major inroads in both chambers.
Voters also approved a GOP-authored constitutional amendment that bars foreign nationals from voting in Wisconsin.
As of early Wednesday morning, the GOP had held six of 10 Republican Senate districts up this cycle, ensuring themselves of at least an 18-seat majority. Democrats managed to flip one district, ending the GOP’s 22-seat supermajority and preventing Republicans from overriding any vetoes from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
Democrats had better luck in the Assembly, flipping a handful of districts, but it wasn't enough. As of early Wednesday morning Republicans had still amassed at least 50 seats, guaranteeing them control.
The GOP has controlled both chambers for most of the last 13 years. Democrats had hoped this election cycle would be different after liberal justices took control of the state Supreme Court in 2023, clearing the way for Evers to draw new district boundaries that spread out Republican voters.
— Associated Press
8:15 a.m.: School funding referendum passes in Rochester
ROCHESTER — Voters resoundingly approved a school funding referendum that will bring $20 million to the Rochester school district annually. Last year, a funding referendum narrowly failed.
School officials moved to make dramatic cuts until Mayo Clinic gifted the district a one-time donation of $10 million to prevent schools and programs from shuttering.
The referendum will help the district close a budget gap created in part by school staffing growing faster than student enrollment. The levy will increase per pupil annual spending by about $1,100 per student.
In a statement, Rochester Superintendent Kent Pekel said that the new funding stream will prevent the district from having to close schools and raise class sizes.
— Catharine Richert
8:10 a.m.: Women hold majority of seats in Minnesota’s congressional delegation for 1st time
ST. PAUL — For the first time, women will hold a majority of the seats in Minnesota’s congressional delegation with four Democrats and one Republican among them: 2nd District Rep. Angie Craig, 3rd District Rep.-elect Kelly Morrison, 4th District Rep. Betty McCollum, 5th District Rep. Ilhan Omar and 7th District Rep. Michelle Fischbach.
Along with U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, there are seven women to the three men in Minnesota's federal delegation. It was about two decades ago when McCollum was the only woman in the delegation.
— Clay Masters
7:55 a.m.: Potential deadlock in the Minnesota House? It’s happened before
ST. PAUL — As of early Wednesday, election results from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office showed Democrats and Republicans each winning — or leading in — 67 seats in the state House.
At least two of those races are poised for automatic recounts, because the margin of victory is less than 0.5 percent.
If the early results stand, it would not be the first time the Minnesota House has been deadlocked at 67 seats apiece. The same thing happened in 1979 when the DFL and the then-Independent Republicans were evenly split.
According to an account in Session Daily, from the nonpartisan House Public Information Services, the deadlock and other events led to a complicated process to determine House leadership — and a power-sharing agreement that held for much of the session before falling apart in the closing days.
— MPR News staff
5:50 a.m.: South Dakota voters reject abortion rights measure; vote on marijuana too early to call
Voters in South Dakota have rejected a proposal to add protections for abortion rights to the state constitution, preserving a near-total ban there.
The South Dakota measure would have barred restrictions on terminating a pregnancy during its first 12 weeks.
From the 13th through the 26th week of pregnancy, state regulations would have had to be “reasonably related" to the patient's physical health. Even after the 26th week, the state would have had to permit abortions to preserve a patient's life or health.
The ban in place since the Dobbs decision makes it a felony to perform an abortion except to save the life of the patient.
The abortion measure was in a crowded field of ballot initiatives for Tuesday's general election that also included a proposal to legalize marijuana for recreational use. The vote on marijuana was still too early to call Wednesday.
The measure would legalize recreational marijuana for those 21 and older, and up to 2 ounces in a form other than concentrated cannabis or cannabis products. The measure also would allow the cultivation of plants, with restrictions.
South Dakota voters rejected a measure to remove the state sales tax from food, and a plan for a single, all-candidate primary election with the top two finishers for each office advancing.
— Associated Press
5:45 a.m.: Republican Kelly Armstrong to be North Dakota’s next governor
Republican U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong won election as North Dakota’s next governor on Tuesday, continuing the GOP's three-decade grip on the highest job in the conservative state.
The state’s lone U.S. congressman beat Democratic state Sen. Merrill Piepkorn and independent candidate Michael Coachman for the post. Armstrong, a 48-year-old attorney, is in his third term in the House. He now has become the first member of Congress in 52 years to be elected the state’s governor.
Armstrong will be sworn in on Dec. 15, weeks before the biennial Legislature convenes with an expected Republican supermajority in Bismarck. He will succeed outgoing GOP Gov. Doug Burgum, who did not seek a third term. Burgum was a finalist to be former President Donald Trump’s vice-presidential running mate.
Voters on Tuesday rejected a measure to do away with the current property tax in North Dakota; lawmakers expect to address the simmering issue of property taxes in their upcoming session. Marijuana was also on the ballot, as North Dakota voters were deciding whether to legalize recreational possession and use of the drug. The outcome of the proposal was still too early to call Wednesday morning.
— Associated Press
5:40 a.m.: GOP retains 2 Wisconsin congressional seats; third race too close to call
Republicans held on to two key congressional seats in Wisconsin and were on the verge of retaining a third — in the western part of the state — in Tuesday's elections.
Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil won reelection to a fourth term representing a district in southeast Wisconsin. He defeated Peter Barca, the last Democrat to hold the seat in 1995.
Former gas station chain owner Tony Wied, running his first race, won the contest for northeast Wisconsin’s open congressional district, defeating an abortion rights advocate.
Western Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District was too close to call early Wednesday. First-term Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden was leading Democratic small-business owner and political activist Rebecca Cooke.
The 3rd District had been represented by a Democrat for 26 years before it flipped in 2022 with the win by Van Orden, in the most competitive district in the state.
Van Orden is a former Navy SEAL who was at the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and remains one of Trump’s loudest backers in Wisconsin. Cooke won a three-person primary to take on Van Orden. She raised more money than any other Democratic challenger in the state, a sign of Democratic optimism for the race.
— Associated Press
4:40 a.m.: Trump wins Wisconsin, clinches presidency
Former President Donald Trump won the key state of Wisconsin on Wednesday, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in a critical battleground.
With the win in Wisconsin, Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency.
Trump narrowly won Wisconsin in 2016, becoming the first Republican since Ronald Reagan to capture the state. He lost it in 2020 to Democrat Joe Biden.
Both Harris and Trump made Wisconsin a central focus of their campaigns.
Trump’s win means Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will return to St. Paul after falling short of a bid for the vice presidency.
Walz is set to serve out the remaining two years of his term after spending months crisscrossing the country campaigning with Harris.
— Associated Press
1 a.m.: What to know about vote counting
When and how are votes counted?
While Minnesotans cast their votes on paper ballots, electronic equipment is used to count those ballots. Tabulators used in Minnesota are optical scan, so they “read” the ballot and record a vote for each candidate that has their target — usually an oval — filled in on the ballot.
Absentee ballots can be inserted into ballot counters starting 18 days before Election Day, but no totals are produced until polling places close that night. County election officials enter unofficial election results on the secretary of state’s website, according to the secretary of state’s website.
How do we know the totals are accurate?
Minnesota election administrators use a number of procedures to ensure equipment will accurately record valid votes, according to the secretary of state’s website. Equipment is approved by the state, tested locally before elections and the results are audited after elections.
Additionally, according to Minnesota Statute 206.89, after all state general elections, Minnesota counties will perform a postelection review of election results returned by the ballot counters used in the state.
The review is a hand count of the ballots for each eligible election in selected precincts. This year, the reviewed elections will be U.S. President, U.S. Senator and U.S. Representatives. The results of the hand count will be compared with results from the voting system used in those precincts.
When are the election results official?
The results of an election are not official until they have been reviewed by a canvassing board.
A county canvassing board certifies votes cast within a county for races that go beyond the county boundaries and election results for county offices and legislative districts that are entirely contained within the county.
The state canvassing board will certify results for federal offices, statewide offices and legislative districts that cross county lines. The board meets on the 16th day following a state general election.
Each municipality and school district has its own canvassing board to certify results in those races
After results are certified by their canvassing board, they are considered “official” but races may be called before becoming official.
Who are Minnesota’s electors?
Electoral votes are votes cast by a group of electors from each state. There are a total of 538 electors. Each state is assigned a number of electoral votes based on population size. Minnesota has 10 electoral votes.
Here is a list of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) electors.
Here is a list of the Republican Party of Minnesota electors
The popular vote is the sum of all individual votes for a certain candidate. If a candidate wins the popular vote in Minnesota, they will receive all 10 electoral votes.
To win the presidential election, a candidate must obtain at least 270 electoral votes.
The national popular vote — the sum of all votes for each candidate across the U.S. — does not determine the winner of the election.
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