# Minnesota House of Representatives *Lower chamber of the Minnesota Legislature* The **Minnesota House of Representatives** is the lower of the two chambers of the [[Minnesota Legislature]]. Bills it drafts and passes with the [[Minnesota Senate]] then go to the [[Governor of Minnesota]] for approval.[^1] The chamber was created in 1858 and seats 134 members, each chosen from a single-member district. Members serve two-year terms with no term limits, and every seat is on the ballot every two years.[^1] In the general election of November 5, 2024, voters returned 67 members from each major party. This was the second even split in the chamber's history.[^1][^2] The House of the 94th Legislature opened in January 2025 amid a court ruling on one seat and a DFL quorum boycott. A special election and a power-sharing agreement followed (see Composition).[^1] The House publishes records of its own work. These include *New Laws 2001*, its official summary of 2001 First Special Session chapter 5,[^3] a *Gambling History*,[^4] and profiles of its members.[^5] ## History Minnesota was admitted to the Union as the 32nd state on May 11, 1858, and the House came into being on that date. It succeeded the Minnesota Territorial Legislature. With the Senate, it forms the state's two-chamber legislature.[^1] From 1913, legislators ran on nonpartisan ballots. When campaigning and caucusing, they called themselves "Liberals" or "Conservatives."[^1] A change in law in 1973 reinstated party labels, starting with the 1974 House election.[^1] Women became eligible for legislative office once the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920. Four women won House seats in 1922: Mabeth Hurd Paige, Hannah Kempfer, Sue Metzger Dickey Hough and Myrtle Cain.[^1] In 2025 the number of women in the chamber reached a record 55. That count held until Representative Melissa Hortman was assassinated.[^1] ## Elections Each Senate district is split into two halves, labeled A and B, and each half is a House district. District 32B, for instance, sits inside Senate district 32.[^1] Terms run two years. Maps are redrawn after each decennial United States Census so that new districts are in place for the primary and general elections in years ending in 2.[^1] As of the cached source, the latest election was held on November 5, 2024.[^1][^2] ## Composition ### 94th Minnesota Legislature (2025–2027) The 94th Legislature convened on January 14, 2025. Each major party held 67 House seats, the second tie on record.[^1] A court nullified the election of Curtis Johnson in District 40B. The 67 Republican members began the session alone, while the 66 elected DFL members stayed away in an attempt to block a quorum.[^1] The seat was filled on March 11, 2025, by the election of [[David Gottfried (politician)]] (DFL), which restored the 67–67 split.[^1] Once Gottfried was seated, the two parties agreed to share power. Melissa Hortman then carried the title "DFL Leader" rather than "Minority Leader."[^1] After Hortman was assassinated, [[Zack Stephenson]] became House DFL Leader.[^1] ## Past notable members **U.S. senators.** Former House members who went on to the U.S. Senate include: - [[Wendell R. Anderson]] (1976–1978).[^1] - Cushman Kellogg Davis (1887–1900).[^1] - Alonzo J. Edgerton (1881).[^1] - Magnus Johnson (1923–1925).[^1] - Ernest Lundeen (1937–1940).[^1] - Dwight M. Sabin (1883–1889), who also chaired the Republican National Committee in 1883–1884.[^1] - William D. Washburn (1889–1895).[^1] **Governors.** Former members who served as governor include: - Anderson, 33rd governor (1971–1976).[^1] - [[Joseph A. A. Burnquist]], 19th governor (1915–1921). He was earlier 20th [[Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota]] (1913–1915) and later 21st [[Attorney General of Minnesota]] (1939–1955).[^1] - [[Arne Carlson]], 37th governor (1991–1999), earlier 14th state auditor (1979–1991).[^1] - Davis, 7th governor (1874–1876).[^1] - [[William Rush Merriam]], 11th governor (1889–1893).[^1] - [[Stephen Miller (Minnesota politician)]], 4th governor (1864–1866).[^1] - [[Tim Pawlenty]], 39th governor (2003–2011).[^1] - [[Hjalmar Petersen]], 23rd governor (1936–1937) and 28th lieutenant governor.[^1] - [[Samuel Rinnah Van Sant]], 15th governor (1901–1905).[^1] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - The members of the House elect the Speaker, who leads the chamber. The Majority and Minority Leaders head the party caucuses.[^1] - In 2025 the DFL caucus was led first by Melissa Hortman, under the title "DFL Leader," and after her assassination by Zack Stephenson.[^1] - The House maintains official profile and news pages for its members, such as Rep. Carlos Mariani.[^5][^6] ### What - The House and Senate draft and pass bills, which go to the governor for approval.[^1] - The House issues official summaries of enacted law, including *New Laws 2001*, which covers 2001 First Special Session chapter 5.[^3] - The House has published a *Gambling History* among its session information materials.[^4] ### When - Established May 11, 1858.[^1] - Nonpartisan ballots began in 1913; party labels returned with the 1974 election.[^1] - The 94th Legislature convened January 14, 2025.[^1] - Gottfried was elected March 11, 2025.[^1] ### Where - The chamber meets in the north wing of the State Capitol in Saint Paul.[^1] - Most committee hearings, and the offices of members and staff, are in the nearby State Office Building.[^1] ### How - House districts are halves of Senate districts, labeled A and B.[^1] - Districts are redrawn after each decennial census.[^1] ### How many - 134 members.[^1] - A 67–67 partisan split, restored on March 11, 2025.[^1] - A record 55 women serving in 2025.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Minnesota House of Representatives* (revision 1380197151, retrieved 2026-10-26) — the chamber's structure, history, elections, 2025 composition and past members. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_House_of_Representatives [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *2024 Minnesota House of Representatives election* (retrieved 2026) — the 2024 general election of the chamber. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Minnesota_House_of_Representatives_election [^3]: Minnesota House of Representatives, *New Laws 2001* (2001) — the House's official summary of 2001 First Special Session chapter 5. https://www.house.mn.gov/hinfo/nl01.pdf [^4]: Minnesota House of Representatives, *Gambling History* (n.d.) — House-published history of gambling. https://www.house.mn.gov/hinfo/swkly/1995-96/select/gambl.txt [^5]: Minnesota House of Representatives, *Members* (n.d.) — the House's index of member profiles. https://www.house.mn.gov/members/ [^6]: Minnesota House of Representatives, *Rep. Carlos Mariani* (n.d.) — official member profile and news page. https://www.house.mn.gov/members/profile/news/10399/