2018 Election Recap – * Updated * Minnesota VOTER TURNOUT –78.4%- the previous high was in 2002 STATEWIDE OFFICES Governor & Lt. Governor Elect: Tim Walz/Peggy Flanagan- DFL. https://mn.gov/tim-walz/ Inauguration on January 7, 2019 Leadership appointed: Kristin Beckman, Transit Team Leader – now at Center for Economic Inclusion (former Deputy Mayor of St. Paul to Chris Coleman) Chris Schmitter, attorney, is Chief of Staff (Walz aid) Note: Gov. Dayton defeated Jeff Johnson in 2014 with a 133,000 vote lead in the metro. Walz nearly tripled that lead, defeating Jeff Johnson by 372,000 votes in metro. Lt. Gov. Flanagan will lead the One Minnesota Transition Advisory Board. Interested in working for the Walz/Flanagan administration? They are accepting resumes online. Attorney General: Keith Ellison- DFL Secretary of State: Steve Simon -DFL State Auditor: Julie Blaha- DFL MN SENATE: The one open MN Senate seat (held by Rep. Fischbach) stayed Republican. Former State Representative Jeff Howe is now Senator-Elect Jeff Howe. Republicans maintain the control of the Senate 34-33. Leadership elected: Paul Gazelka-Senate Majority Leader, Jeremy Miller-President of the Senate, Tom Bakk, Senate Minority Leader. MN HOUSE: Republicans had 7 retirements. Democrats had 16 retirements. No sitting DFL State Representative lost their election. The House Democrats needed to win at least 11 seats to take control and they gained 18 seats; two from greater Minnesota. Democrats increased from 57 votes to 75 votes while the Republicans decreased from 77-59 votes. About 30% serving for the first time. (Hs DFL 54.4% of popular vote) There will be one automatic recount in – 5A – Persell/Bliss. There is only an 8-vote difference here 8452 to 8444. Minnesota will have the most one of the most diverse legislatures in history. Minnesota is the only divided state legislature in the nation. The last time there was only one divided state legislature was in 1914. Leadership elected: Melissa Hortman, Speaker of he House, Ryan Winkler-Majority Leader, Kurt Daudt-Minority Leader. House Republican defeated incumbent seats that flipped to Democrats (15): 5A – Matt Bliss – REMATCH - Rep. Elect John Persell, former Representative, defeated by Bliss in 2016 14B – Jim Knoblach – REMATCH - Rep. Elect Dan Wolgamott, Realtor [Knoblach suspended his campaign] 33B – Cindy Pugh - Rep. Elect Kelly Mortenson, Physician 34B – Dennis Smith - REMATCH - Rep. Elect Christine Bahner, IT Consultant 42A – Randy Jessup - Rep. Elect Kelly Moller, Prosecutor & Victim Rights Advocate 44A – Sarah Anderson - REMATCH - Rep. Elect Ginny Klevorn, Mediator & Strategic Business Consultant 48B – Jennifer Loon - Rep. Elect Carly Kotyza-Whitthuhn, Operations U Management 49A – Dario Anselmo - Rep. Elect Heather Edelson, Mental Health Therapist/Guardian Ad Litem 52B - Regina Barr - Rep. Elect Ruth Richardson, Attorney, Mn Org. on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome 53B - Kelly Fenton - Rep. Elect Steve Sandell, Teacher & Museum Director 54A - Keith Franke - Rep. Elect Anne Claflin, Research Scientist 55A - Bob Loonan/Erik Mortenson - Rep. Elect Brad Tabke, former Mayor/Shakopee, Coaches communities on economic development. 56A – Drew Christensen - Rep. Elect Hunter Cantrell, Tutor 56B – Roz Peterson - Rep. Dr. Alice Mann, Family Practice Physician 57B - Ann Wills - REMATCH - John Duffy Huot, Realtor & Health care consultant, E.M. tech with Life Link II for 28 years House Republican open seats that flipped to Democrats (3): 36A – Rep. Elect Zack Stephenson - Ass’t Hennepin County Attorney/prosecutor, former Hortman campaign manager (Rep. Mark Uglem-R) 38B – Rep. Elect Ami Wazlawik - President of MN NOW, MA Public Policy, background in psychology (Rep. Matt Dean-R) 39B – Rep. Elect Shelly Christensen - Retired teacher, Stillwater Track Coach (Rep. Kathy Lohmer-R) Open House seats won by Democrats: 6B – Rep. Elect Dave Lislegard - Aurora Mayor, pro-mining (Rep. Jason Metsa-D) 19A – Rep. Elect Jeff Brand - Co-owner Seed to Site LLC, Board Mbr. Coalition of Greater MN Cities/former Mayor (Rep. Clark Johnson-D) 20B – Rep. Elect Todd Lippert - Senior Minister/Lutheran Church in Northfield (Rep. David Bly-D) 40B – Rep. Elect Samantha Vang - Community Organizer, Co-founder of Progressive Hmong American Organizers, 24 yrs. old (Rep. Deb Hilstrom-D) 44B – Rep. Elect Patty Acomb - Minnetonka City Council Member, former MN DNR & Henn. Cty.environment services (Rep. John Applebaum-D) 46A – Rep. Elect Ryan Winkler -Former State Representative elected in 2006/resigned in 2016-wife accepted job in Belgium (Rep. Flanagan-D) 49B – Rep. Elect Steve Elkins - Metropolitan Council Member/District 5, former Bloomington City Council member (Rep. Paul Rosenthal-D) 50A – Rep. Elect Michael Howard - Richfield City Council Member, former MN House staff (Rep Linda Slocum-D) 53A – Rep. Elect Tou Xiong - Maplewood city Council Member (formerly Joanne Ward-D) 57A – Rep. Elect Robert Bierman - Business owner, Bierman’s Home Furniture, past Pres. Of local Chamber and Rotary (Rep. Erin Maye Quade-D) 60B – Rep. Elect Mohamud Noor - Computer scientist, Director of Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota (formerly Ilhan Omar-D) 61B – Rep. Elect Jamie Long - Deputy Chief of Staff for Keith Ellison, director Ellison’s run for DNC Chair (Rep. Paul Thissen- D) 62A – Rep. Elect Hodan Hassan - Mental Health Practitioner and Educator (Rep. Karen Clark- D) 62B – Rep. Elect Aisha Gomez - Senior Policy Aid – Mpls 9th Ward (Rep. Susan Allen- D) 64A – Rep. Elect Kaohly Her - Doctoral Student (Rep. Erin Murphy- D) 67B – Rep. Elect Jay Xiong - Community Organizer (Rep. Sheldon Johnson-D) Open House seats won by Republicans: 13A - Rep. Elect Lisa Demuth - Rocori School Board Member (Rep. Jeff Howe-R) 15B - Rep. Elect Shane Mekeland - Building Contract/Small business owner (Rep. Jim Newberger-R) 34A - Rep. Elect Kristin Robbins - Exec Director of Economic Club of MN (Rep. Joyce Peppin- R) 35A - Rep. Elect John Heinrich - Asphalt/concrete industry, Veteran (Rep. Abigail Whelan- R) 47B - Rep. Elect Greg Boe - Chaska City Council (Rep. Joe Hoppe-R) State Note: Two political parties with candidates on the ballot met the threshold required to earn major party status in Minnesota- Effective Jan 2019 The Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party secured 5.71% of the vote in the Attorney General election. The Legal Marijuana Now Party secured over 5.29% of the vote in the State Auditor election. These political parties will be on future ballots after January 1, 2019. Election Directory available: https://buff.ly/2JMbl3k Key Dates: State Budget forecast released between end of November and 1st week in December Legislature convenes January 8. Governor Walz biennial budget release in mid-January February Budget & Economic Forecast used by Legislature is establishing their appropriations Committee Deadlines – not yet established – approximately March/April Legislature Adjourns May 20 NATIONAL ELECTIONS US Senate remains in control of Republicans and they have increased their majority. US House will be in control of Democrats for first time in eight years. Of the races called so far, democrats have gained 34 seats 11 House Races not called or too close to call at this time. ***Ten Democrats in a 48-member bi-partisan group are vowing to withhold their support for Pelosi — or any other Speaker nominee — unless the candidate commits, in writing, to certain changes in House rules designed to empower rank-and-file lawmakers and break partisan gridlock.*** MN US SENATORS – Both retained their seats Senator Amy Klobuchar Senator Tina Smith MN CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION – 5 new members serving in the 116th Congress 1st - Flipped Jim Hagedorn (4th try) – now held by Tim Walz – Governor Elect 2nd – Flipped Angie Craig (D) defeated incumbent Jason Lewis (R) 3rd – Flipped Dean Phillips (D) defeated incumbent Erik Paulson (R) 4th Betty McCollum (DFL) retains seat, and has been serving since 2001. 5th Ilhan Omar (DFL) 1st Somali-American 6th Tom Emmer retain seat First elected in 2014, re-elected in 201f 7th Congressman Collin Peterson (D) retains seat - wins 15th term 8th – Flipped Pete Stauber (R) defeated Joe Radinovich (D) for the seat held by Rich Nolan (D) Six State Legislative chambers flipped from Republican to Democratic. Colorado Senate, Maine Senate, Minnesota House and New Hamshire House and Senate, New York Senate. One State Legislative chamber flipped from Democratic to Republican. Alaska House. These 7 flips are below the average of 12 chambers changing party hands in every two-ear election cycle going back to 1900. STATE BALLOT AMENDMENTS ADOPTED: • Florida restored felon voting rights. 64% of voters supported the automatic restoration of voting rights back to convicted felons after they have paid restitution and completed parole, probation or prison time. People convicted of murder and sexual offenses were excluded from this ballot measure. Approximately 1.4 million people will be granted the right to vote in Florida elections. In 2016, it was estimated that more than 418,000 black people, 17.9% of potential black voters in Florida couldn’t vote due to their past felony convictions. • Michigan passed legalization of recreational use of marijuana by 56% to 44%. Adults over the age of 21 will be allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and grow up to 12 plants per household. Michigan will become the 10th state to legalize marijuana possession and use. • Massachusetts passed Gender Identity 70%-30%. Passage of this question preserves the current form of Massachusetts'