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Politics and Government News
Dana Ferguson

January special election called for tiebreaker Minnesota Senate seat after Dziedzic’s death

A blue flag waves above the Capitol building
The redesigned Minnesota state flag flies above the State Capitol for the first time on May 11.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

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Gov. Tim Walz on Monday ordered a special election for next month that will decide control of the Minnesota Senate.

The contest in the Minneapolis district will be held on Jan. 28. DFL Sen. Kari Dziedzic died Friday at 62. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2023 and stepped down from the role of Senate Majority Leader earlier this year as she underwent medical treatment.

Dziedzic represented Senate District 60 for more than a decade. Her peers in the Legislature mourned her passing over the weekend.

The vacancy puts the Senate in a 33-33 tie among Democrats and Republicans. The deadline for candidates to file for the seat in the heavily DFL district is Tuesday.

Another special election for a Roseville-area House seat is also scheduled for Jan. 28. The House seat came open after the prior DFL winner was found to have violated state residency requirements.

Control of that chamber will sit at 67-66 early in the legislative session, with Republicans holding a one-vote advantage.