Minnesota
Two Minnesota state Senate seats up for election today could determine balance of power
Two special elections in the Minnesota Senate on Tuesday could shift the balance of power in the chamber.
Democrats hold a 33-32 advantage in the state Senate, but the resignation of DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell and the death of Republican Sen. Bruce Anderson have left two spots open. Tuesday’s outcomes could solidify the DFL’s one-seat majority or hand the chamber over to the GOP.
Which Minnesota state senate seats are up for election?
Seats in districts 29 and 47 are on the ballot on Tuesday.
District 29 encompasses Wright County and three communities in neighboring Hennepin and Meeker counties.
District 47 envelops Woodbury and parts of Maplewood.
Why are the two Minnesota state senate seats up for election?
Anderson’s unexpected death at the age of 75 left his seat in District 29 open. Anderson spent more than 30 years in the Minnesota Legislature, serving in the state House before moving to the Senate. He was first elected to District 29 in 2012.
Mitchell resigned in July after being convicted of burglary for breaking into her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, home. She flipped the district in 2022, defeating Republican Dwight Dorau in the general election. Before that, it had seen Republican representation since redistricting in 2012.
Who is running for the Minnesota state senate seats?
Republican Michael Holmstrom Jr. won a special primary in August and will face off against Democrat Louis McNutt in District 29. McNutt is a mechanic for the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Holmstrom is a small business owner. Both candidates live in Buffalo, Minnesota, and both are married with children.
Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger won the DFL primary in August and will compete with Dorau on the ballot in District 47. Hemmingsen-Jaeger is currently a state representative in District 47A. Dorau is a high school teacher and veteran.
Should Hemmingsen-Jaeger win, a special election would be required to fill her House seat.
WCCO’s election coverage
After polls close at 8 p.m., WCCO will provide live results online from every race in the state, including dozens of school referendums.
Results will also appear as soon as they come in on CBS News Minnesota, and key races will be shown at the bottom of the screen on WCCO-TV later in the evening.
Need help registering to vote, finding your polling place or knowing what’s on your ballot? Check out WCCO’s guide here.
Minnesota leaders are sending photos that highlight the state’s landmarks and culture to the U.S. Capitol for a special time capsule.
The time capsule gives each state and territory delegation an opportunity to provide a snapshot of time in 2026 as America celebrates its 250th birthday.
Photos from all eight Minnesota congressional districts were sent to the Capitol.
They include Lake Superior, the State Fair, the loon, Prince’s Purple Rain and the National Eagle Center.
The capsule will be sealed inside the Capitol Visitor Center until America’s 500th birthday on July 4, 2276.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (WCCO News) – Vance Boelter, the man who pleaded guilty to fatally shooting former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, is set to be sentenced on federal charges later this summer.
According to court documents, the sentencing date is set for July 23 at 10 a.m. at the Minneapolis federal courthouse.
Earlier this month, Boelter, 58, changed his plea to guilty on six counts against him in the June 14, 2025 lawmaker shootings as part of an agreement with federal prosecutors.
Under the terms of the plea deal, Boelter’s recommended sentence will be two consecutive life terms followed by 40 years. The judge approved the plea deal and ordered an expedited sentencing.
The U.S. Department of Justice said it would not seek the death penalty against Boelter, which, according to a letter from U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen, was part of the proposed plea agreement.
In his guilty plea, Boelter admitted to fatally shooting the Hortmans, wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, and attempting to shoot their daughter, Hope. The shootings prompted a massive manhunt that lasted 43 hours.
Following the guilty plea, theHoffman family released a statementthat said, “there is no justice when our family and our state will never truly heal.”
Boelter also faces state charges, including two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, four counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count each of felony cruelty to an animal and impersonating an officer. A guilty verdict for one of the first-degree murder charges carries a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office confirmed its case against him will move forward.
Copyright 2026 KVLY. All rights reserved.
The entirety of the Metro Transit Blue Line and parts of the Green Line will shut down for a few weeks this summer and be replaced by buses as crews work to swap worn track and outdated equipment.
The Blue Line will be offline from June 29 to Aug. 19. The west end of the Green Line — from West Bank to Target Field — will shut down between July 1 and July 26 and again between Aug. 16 and Aug. 19.
Metro Transit says buses will stop at or near the stations every 15 minutes. Some boarding locations will be moved to Hiawatha Avenue, and staff will help guide riders to their bus stops for the construction period.
Nearly every stop along the 22-year-old Blue Line will see improvement, Metro Transit says. The stations will be outfitted with real-time signs and shelter glass.
“We recognize that this needed maintenance work will be disruptive to riders, but once completed, the work we do this summer will help improve the customer experience for years to come,” said General Manager Lesley Kandaras.
The Green Line will be back in service for the beginning of August to accommodate summer events, such as Twins and Lynx games, the WWE Summer Slam at U.S. Bank Stadium and Noah Kahan and Ed Sheeran concerts.
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