List of special elections to the Minnesota Senate
District Legislature Date Predecessor Winner Cause
32 81st April 13 , 1999 Steven Morse ( DFL ) Bob Kierlin ( R ) Resigned to become Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
18 81st November 2 , 1999 Janet Johnson ( DFL ) Twyla Ring ( DFL ) Death ( brain tumor )
4 81st December 14 , 1999 David Ten Eyck ( DFL ) Tony Kinkel ( DFL ) Resigned to accept appointment to the Crow Wing County District Court
7 82nd January 29 , 2002 Sam Solon ( DFL ) Yvonne Prettner Solon ( DFL ) Death ( malignant melanoma )
67 82nd January 29 , 2002 Randy Kelly ( DFL ) Mee Moua ( DFL ) Resigned upon election to the mayoralty of Saint Paul
37 83rd July 13 , 2004 David Knutson ( R ) Chris Gerlach ( R ) Resigned to accept appointment to the Minnesota 1st Judicial District Court
19 84th November 22 , 2005 Mark Ourada ( R ) Amy Koch ( R ) Resigned to take a position with non-profit Center for Energy and Economic Development
43 84th November 22 , 2005 David Gaither ( R ) Terri Bonoff ( DFL ) Resigned to become Chief of Staff to Governor Tim Pawlenty
15 84th December 27 , 2005 Dave Kleis ( R ) Tarryl Clark ( DFL ) Resigned upon election to the mayoralty of Saint Cloud
25 85th January 3 , 2008 Tom Neuville ( R ) Kevin Dahle ( DFL ) Resigned to accept appointment to the Minnesota 3rd Judicial District Court
63 86th November 4 , 2008 Dan Larson ( DFL ) Kenneth Kelash ( DFL ) Resigned to become a lobbyist
16 86th November 4 , 2008 Betsy Wergin ( R ) Lisa Fobbe ( DFL ) Resigned to serve on the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
26 86th January 26 , 2010 Dick Day ( R ) Mike Parry ( R ) Resign to become a full-time lobbyist for the state 's two horse-racing tracks
66 87th April 10 , 2011 Ellen Anderson ( DFL ) Mary Jo McGuire ( DFL ) Resigned to accept chair of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
61 87th October 10 , 2011 Linda Berglin ( DFL ) Jeff Hayden ( DFL ) Resigned to accept a job as a Hennepin County health policy program manager
46 87th October 10 , 2011 Linda Scheid ( DFL ) Chris Eaton ( DFL ) Death ( ovarian cancer )
59 87th January 10 , 2012 Larry Pogemiller ( DFL ) Kari Dziedzic ( DFL ) Resigned to become Director of the Higher Education
20 87th April 10 , 2012 Gary Kubly ( DFL ) Lyle Koenen ( DFL ) Death ( amyotrophic lateral sclerosis )
35 89th February 9 , 2016 Branden Petersen ( R ) Jim Abeler ( R ) Resigned effective October 31 , 2015
54 90th February 12 , 2018 Dan Schoen ( DFL ) Karla Bigham ( DFL ) Resigned due to allegations of sexual harassment
List of special elections
This is a list of special elections to the Minnesota Senate. Such elections are called by the governor of Minnesota to fill vacancies that occur when a member of the Minnesota Senate dies or resigns before the next general election. Winners of these elections serve the remainder of the term and are usually candidates in the next election for their districts. General elections are held in November of the second year following the decennial United States Census and every four years thereafter. New Legislatures convene on the first Tuesday following the first Monday of the following year.