# Arne Carlson *Republican governor of Minnesota, 1991–1999* Arne Helge Carlson, born September 24, 1934, was the 37th [[Governor of Minnesota]], a Republican who held the office from 1991 to 1999. He had previously been Minnesota's [[state auditor]] from 1979 to 1991.[^1][^2][^3] Wikipedia classes him as a liberal Republican. It also records that since returning to private life in 1999 he has backed only Democratic (DFL) candidates while keeping his Republican affiliation.[^3] Carlson signed three of the thirteen amendments in the Revisor's history line of [[Minn. Stat. § 43A.191]], the State's agency affirmative-action section. That section was enacted in 1985 under DFL Governor [[Rudy Perpich]], and its history line records no repeal under any governor.[^4] On January 14, 2026, the United States filed [[United States v. State of Minnesota (0:26-cv-00273)]] under [[Title VII]] of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]]. The complaint cites §43A.191 eight times.[^5] Carlson also signed the 1991 charter-school law, a 1993 amendment adding gender identity to the [[Minnesota Human Rights Act]], and the 1994 law consolidating the [[Metropolitan Council (Minnesota)]].[^6][^7][^8][^9] In a 1997 veto message he defended an appointed Metropolitan Council against a bill to make it elected.[^10] The [[United States Department of Justice]] announced the suit in release No. 26-21, titled *United States Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime*. Attorney General Pamela Bondi certified the case as a matter of general public importance.[^11] The U.S. government uses "regime" for governments it opposes. The [[Iraq Liberation Act]] of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-338), for example, states a policy of supporting efforts to remove "the regime headed by Saddam Hussein."[^12] The project's catalogue of U.S.-government "regime" usages (*[[How Minnesota Got Here]]*, note 40) finds Minnesota the only U.S. state so described.[^12] ## Early years, education and family Carlson's parents were Swedish immigrants from Gothenburg and Visby, and he was born in New York City. He went to P.S. 36 and DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx. A scholarship then took him to The Choate School in Wallingford, Connecticut.[^3] He graduated from Williams College in 1957 with a B.A. in history and afterward took graduate courses at the [[University of Minnesota]].[^3] ## Career ### Early career From 1965 to 1967 Carlson sat for one term on the [[Minneapolis]] City Council. In 1967 he was the Republican candidate for mayor and lost to the DFL incumbent, [[Arthur Naftalin]].[^3] He represented a district in the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]] from 1971 to 1979.[^3] Voters elected him state auditor in 1978 and returned him in 1982 and 1986. In that office he worked toward uniform accounting across cities, counties, townships and special districts.[^3] ### Election in 1990 Businessman Jon Grunseth beat Carlson in the 1990 Republican primary. Grunseth withdrew weeks before the general election, after two separate scandals, and Carlson replaced him as the nominee.[^3] Carlson won the November 6, 1990, election and unseated Perpich.[^13][^3] ### Governor of Minnesota Carlson took office on January 7, 1991.[^1] On May 3, 1991, he issued [[Executive Order 91-14]], concerning the State Affirmative Action Council.[^14] On June 4, 1991, he signed Laws 1991, chapter 265, the charter-school statute. The project's masters record it as the nation's first and note that it is now codified at chapter 124E. The Minnesota Time Table records the law as having a DFL author and a Republican governor.[^6] In 1993 he signed an amendment to the Human Rights Act's protected-class definitions adding gender identity, now at Minn. Stat. §363A.03.[^7][^8] In July 1993 he signed the Minnesota Government Innovation and Cooperation Act.[^15] Carlson was re-elected on November 8, 1994, and served out his second term in 1999.[^13][^1] ### §43A.191 amendments and the federal suit The Revisor's history line for §43A.191 begins with the section's enactment as a budget rider, 1Sp1985 c 13 s 172, under Perpich (DFL). It then lists thirteen amendments and no repeal.[^4] Carlson signed three of them: - 1992 c 513 - 1995 c 248 - 1996 c 305[^4] Republican governors signed seven of the thirteen: Carlson's three and four under Tim Pawlenty (2004, 2007, 2008, 2009). DFL governors signed the other six: four under Perpich (1987 twice, 1988, 1990) and two under Tim Walz (2019, 2023).[^4] The record does not establish which subdivisions Carlson's three amendments changed. The federal complaint, filed in the District of Minnesota on January 14, 2026, rests on that section. It cites §43A.191 eight times, including subdivision 3(c)'s requirement that an agency explain its reason for hiring a non-affirmative candidate.[^5] Those are the complaint's allegations under Title VII. The action is pending.[^5][^11] ### Metropolitan Council Laws 1994, chapter 628, was enacted during Carlson's first term. It consolidated the Metropolitan Council's operations, set members' terms to end with the governor's, and provided for service at pleasure.[^9] On May 15, 1997, Carlson vetoed H.F. 423, a bill for an elected council. His veto message stated: "An elected Metropolitan Council is about as necessary as another house of the legislature."[^10] The message described the appointed council as "transcending parochial and geographically designated interests."[^10] The project's dossier cites [[Citizens League]] policy reports from 1967, 1977 and 1984 as the designers' own proposal for an elected council. That reading rests on the dossier and has not been independently graded.[^16][^17][^18] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Carlson was a Republican governor (1991–1999) who signed three amendments to §43A.191.[^1][^4] ### What - Executive Order 91-14 (May 3, 1991): State Affirmative Action Council.[^14] - Laws 1991, ch. 265: the charter-school statute, now ch. 124E.[^6] - 1993 amendment adding gender identity to the Human Rights Act's protected classes.[^7][^8] - Laws 1994, ch. 628: Metropolitan Council operating consolidation, with terms ending with the governor's.[^9] ### When - Elected November 6, 1990; inaugurated January 7, 1991; re-elected November 8, 1994.[^13][^1] - Signed the charter-school law June 4, 1991.[^6] - Signed the Government Innovation and Cooperation Act, July 1993.[^15] - Vetoed H.F. 423, May 15, 1997.[^10] ### How many - 3 of 13 amendments to §43A.191, with 0 repeals; 7 of the 13 were signed by Republican governors and 6 by DFL governors.[^4] ## Notes [^1]: Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, *Arne Carlson, Governor of Minnesota (1991–1999)* — term of office; Time Table row TL-0570 gives inauguration January 7, 1991. https://www.lrl.mn.gov/mngov/govbio?govid=5 [^2]: Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, *Arne Carlson* (governor biography) — biographical entry. https://www.lrl.mn.gov/mngov/governor?gov=38 [^3]: Wikipedia, *Arne Carlson* (rev. 1381480345, retrieved 2026-10-25) — birth, education, early career, auditor terms, 1990 nomination, post-1999 party activity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arne_Carlson [^4]: Revisor of Statutes, *Minn. Stat. § 43A.191* (history line) — enactment 1Sp1985 c 13 s 172; amendments 1987 c 186, 1987 c 354, 1988 c 667, 1990 c 571, 1992 c 513, 1995 c 248, 1996 c 305, 2004 c 207, 2007 c 35, 2008 c 204, 2009 c 101, 1Sp2019 c 10, 2023 c 62; no repeal. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/43A.191 [^5]: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, *Complaint, United States v. State of Minnesota*, No. 0:26-cv-00273 (D. Minn. filed Jan. 14, 2026) — Title VII action; cites §43A.191 eight times, including subd. 3(c). https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1423361/dl [^6]: Revisor of Statutes, *Laws 1991, Chapter 265* (signed June 4, 1991) — the charter-school session law. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/1991/0/Session+Law/Chapter/265/ [^7]: Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, *Legislators Past & Present: Arne Carlson* — governor 1991–1999; signed the 1993 Human Rights Act amendment adding gender identity. https://www.lrl.mn.gov/legdb/fulldetail?id=10173 [^8]: Revisor of Statutes, *Minn. Stat. § 363A.03* — Human Rights Act definitions, including gender identity. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/363A.03 [^9]: Revisor of Statutes, *Laws 1994, Chapter 628* — Metropolitan Council operating consolidation; terms ending with the governor's; service at pleasure. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/1994/0/628/ [^10]: Gov. Arne Carlson, *Veto message on H.F. 423* (May 15, 1997) — text quoted. https://www.leg.mn.gov/archive/vetoes/1997veto_ch151.pdf [^11]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, *United States Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime*, release No. 26-21 (Jan. 14, 2026) — release title; Attorney General's certification. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-department-justice-files-lawsuit-against-minnesotas-affirmative-action-regime [^12]: U.S. Congress, *Iraq Liberation Act of 1998*, Pub. L. 105-338 — "regime" usage; the single-state finding is the project's catalogue (*How Minnesota Got Here*, note 40). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-105publ338/pdf/PLAW-105publ338.pdf [^13]: Minnesota Secretary of State, *Historical Election Data* — 1990 and 1994 gubernatorial general elections. https://www.sos.state.mn.us/election-administration-campaigns/data-maps/historical-election-data/ [^14]: Office of the Governor, *Executive Order 91-14* (May 3, 1991) — State Affirmative Action Council. https://www.leg.mn.gov/archive/execorders/91-14.pdf [^15]: Revisor of Statutes, *Laws 1993* — session laws including the Minnesota Government Innovation and Cooperation Act (July 1993). https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/1993/0/ [^16]: Citizens League, *Policy report on metropolitan government* (Feb. 9, 1967) — cited in the project's dossier. https://citizensleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/PolicyReportGovernmentFeb-67.pdf [^17]: Citizens League, *Policy report on metropolitan government* (March 1977) — cited in the project's dossier. https://citizensleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/PolicyReportGovernmentMarch-77.pdf [^18]: Citizens League, *Policy report on metropolitan government* (June 1984) — cited in the project's dossier. https://citizensleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/PolicyReportGovernmentJune-84.pdf