Two House Races To Be Decided By Recount

Recounts to Determine Outcome of Two Minnesota House Races

Vote counts in Minnesota’s House District 14B in Sherburne County and District 54A in Scott County are heading to recounts, with both races playing a critical role in the upcoming Legislative session.

The Minnesota House is bracing for a rare 67-67 split between Democrats and Republicans, potentially sidelining partisan policy goals as lawmakers focus on passing a budget.

A power-sharing arrangement is anticipated to facilitate a smooth session, but the final House makeup will depend on the outcome of these two races.

According to initial vote counts, Democratic incumbents are leading in both districts, and if these results hold, the chamber will be evenly divided. However, if either Republican challenger wins, Republicans would take control.

In Sherburne County, a damaged memory card delayed the upload of some mail-in ballots to the state’s Election Reporting System. Once results were updated, DFL incumbent Dan Wolgamott’s lead over Republican Sue Ek grew to nearly 1%, removing it from automatic state-funded recount eligibility. Sherburne County has requested state permission for a public recount funded by the county, receiving preliminary approval.

Meanwhile, the race in House District 54A in Shakopee remains close, with DFL incumbent Brad Tabke leading Republican Aaron Paul by just 14 votes, which qualifies for a state-funded recount.

Current House Speaker Melissa Hortman, in an MPR News interview, said she doesn’t expect the recounts to alter the results.

If the 67-67 split holds, power-sharing measures like co-chairs and equal representation on committees are likely to be implemented.

“As partners in governing, cooperation will be key to getting things done,” said Hortman.

Even with an even split, passing legislation will require a majority of at least 68 votes.

The 2025 Legislative session is set to begin on January 14.

(BMTN)