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AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Minnesota's special state House election

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AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Minnesota's special state House election


WASHINGTON (AP) — Voters in Minnesota will choose a new representative Tuesday in a heavily Democratic state House district at the center of a post-Election Day drama to control the chamber.

The special election in House District 40B, in the northern St. Paul suburbs, was scheduled after a state court ruled that Democratic state Rep.-elect Curtis Johnson failed to meet residency requirements. Had Johnson taken office, the House would have started the 2025 session in a 67-67 tie that was expected to result in a power-sharing agreement between the two parties. Instead, Johnson’s decision not to appeal the court ruling gave House Republicans a temporary 67-66 advantage, which GOP leaders said gave them the “organizational majority” needed to control the House agenda. That prompted a Democratic boycott of the chamber.

The parties eventually reached a power-sharing agreement in February that assumes that Democrats will hold the district in Tuesday’s special election, restoring the 67-67 tie.

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The nominees for the seat are Democrat David Gottfried, an attorney, and Republican Paul Wikstrom, who also ran in 2024 and challenged Johnson’s residency status in court.

Johnson received 65% of the vote in November, compared with about 35% for Wikstrom. Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris carried the district with 68% of the vote, far better than the 51% she received statewide in her narrow win over Donald Trump, the Republican nominee.

The district is contained entirely within Ramsey County and includes the communities of Roseville and Shoreview. The eight precincts in Roseville made up nearly two-thirds of the district’s total vote in 2024 and posted higher vote percentages for Democratic candidates than the four precincts in Shoreview.

The Associated Press does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow the trailing candidates to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

There are no automatic recounts for state legislative races in Minnesota. A losing candidate may request a publicly funded recount if the margin is less than 0.5% of the total vote. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is eligible for a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

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Here’s a look at what to expect on Tuesday:

Special election day

The special election for state House District 40B will be held Tuesday. Polls close at 8 p.m. local time, which is 9 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in the House District 40B special election.

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Who gets to vote?

Any resident in state House District 40B who’s eligible to vote may participate in the special election. Minnesota allows voters to register at the polls.

What do turnout and advance vote look like?

There were nearly 28,000 registered voters in House District 40B in both the 2024 and the 2022 general elections. Turnout was about 88% of registered voters in November 2024 and about 75% in November 2022. About 40% of ballots in 2024 were cast before Election Day, compared with about 27% in the 2022 midterm elections.

As of Thursday, more than 1,200 absentee ballots had been cast before the special election day, out of the approximately 3,400 requested.

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How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2024 presidential election, the AP first reported results in Ramsey County at 9:21 p.m. ET, or 21 minutes after polls closed. The election night tabulation ended at 3:59 a.m. ET with about 99% of total votes counted.



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Minnesota weather: What to expect with Thursday’s snow, strong winds

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Minnesota weather: What to expect with Thursday’s snow, strong winds


Temperatures dropping, snow and strong winds are set to come through the state Thursday. 

Here’s what to expect for Thursday’s winter weather. 

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What to expect for Thursday’s snow, dropping temps

What to expect:

A winter weather advisory is in place for parts of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities Thursday.

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A warm front overnight Wednesday will bring rain, then a cold front Thursday is expected to bring snow. 

Temperatures are expected to drop significantly, which could cause slippery roads for the morning and evening commute. 

There is also a blizzard warning for the far northwest of Minnesota Thursday. 

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A wind advisory is in place for the southwest portion of the state on Thursday, which could bring wind speeds of up to 50 mph. 

An inch or two of snow is expected, but road conditions will deteriorate throughout the day Thursday. As the cold front moves through the state late Thursday morning, winds could be 40–50 mph.

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Due to strong winds, any snow that falls could reduce viability when driving Thursday. Temperatures are expected to fall into single digits by the evening. 

Extended forecast

What’s next:

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Friday could see a few flurries with temperatures in the low 20s. Saturday will have occasional passing clouds and highs in the upper 20s, while Sunday is cooler, but comes with more sunshine. 

Temperatures warm back into the 30s for the start of next week. 

Weather ForecastMinnesota
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Inver Grove Heights chosen as official location of Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame

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Inver Grove Heights chosen as official location of Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame


The future location of the Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame (MNHHOF) will be in the city of Inver Grove Heights.

The future location of the Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame (MNHHOF) will be in the city of Inver Grove Heights.

In the announcement made on Wednesday, the MNHHOF said the new site will be a 120,000-plus-square-foot, multi-purpose facility located adjacent to Interstate 494 and just east of Vikings Lakes and the Minnesota Vikings training complex.

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“Since announcing this legacy project in August, the outpouring of support from players past and present, Minnesota-based companies, and hockey fans statewide has been overwhelming,” said MNHHOF CEO Natalie Darwitz. “We’re truly excited to build our permanent home in Inver Grove Heights, honoring the past and inspiring the future of Minnesota hockey.”

The current plans for the facility are to build it on a 40-acre section of land, featuring an ice rink, a 20,000-square-foot performance venue, a 30,000-square-foot museum, a hockey-themed restaurant and taproom and multiple event and community spaces.

“The City is thrilled that the Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame has selected Inver Grove Heights as its home, and we look forward to welcoming them to our community,” said Inver Grove Heights Mayor Brenda Dietrich. “The site is in our Northwest Area, which has long been envisioned for major development, and the Hall of Fame offers the opportunity for new amenities and attractions that will benefit Inver Grove Heights for years to come.”

MNHHOF plans to break ground in 2026, with a planned opening in late 2028.

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KSTP/SurveyUSA poll results: Trump, Walz both below 50% approval in Minnesota

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KSTP/SurveyUSA poll results: Trump, Walz both below 50% approval in Minnesota


KSTP/SurveyUSA poll results: Trump, Walz both below 50% approval in Minnesota

The political feud between President Donald Trump and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is frequently documented.

While both try to score political points with their criticism of each other, neither has much in the way of bragging rights when it comes to approval ratings in Minnesota.

According to our exclusive KSTP/SurveyUSA poll, the president has a 42% approval rating in Minnesota with 55% disapproval. That 13-point difference is six points worse than our last survey three months ago.

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Trump retains the approval of 89% of Republicans but just 35% of independents.

“Trump is always running a bit below the national average in job approval in Minnesota and that is the case here,” says Carleton College political analyst Steven Schier. However, the newest Associated Press/Reuters poll showed the president with a 39% approval rating and 59% disapproval, slightly better than his Minnesota results.

The president’s approval is bogged down by a 43% approval of his handling of the economy.

Gov. Walz doesn’t fare much better in our survey. For the second survey in a row, Walz is at 48% approval and 48% disapproval. Those ratings are his lowest in the 20 times we’ve surveyed his approval in the past four years. He’s seeking an unprecedented third four-year term as governor of Minnesota.

“Gov. Walz’s approval puts him in sort of a flashing yellow light zone,” says Schier. “There’s some danger ahead. He’s below 50% approval.”

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The Walz approval numbers are weighed down by just 14% who say he’s done enough to stop state government fraud.

Our survey included 35% Democrats, 31% Republicans and 29% independents.

SurveyUSA interviewed 650 adults from the state of Minnesota 12/09/25 through 12/12/25. Of the adults, 578 were identified as being registered to vote and were asked the questions which follow. This research was conducted online, using nonprobability sample of online adult panelists chosen randomly by Cint USA. The combined pool of survey respondents was weighted to US Census ACS targets for gender, age, race, education, and home ownership.



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