2016 Minnesota House of Representatives election


The 2016 Minnesota House of Representatives election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on November 8, 2016, to elect members to the House of Representatives of the 90th Minnesota Legislature. A primary election was held in several districts on August 9, 2016. The election coincided with the election of the other house of the Legislature, the Senate.
The Republican Party of Minnesota won a majority of seats, remaining the majority party, followed by the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. The new Legislature convened on January 3, 2017.

Background

The last election resulted in the Republican Party of Minnesota winning a majority of seats, after losing a majority to the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party only two years earlier in the previous election. This resulted in split control of the Legislature for the first time since 2006, ending eight years of unified control by either the DFL or the Republicans as well as ending two years of all-DFL control of the Legislature and governorship.

Electoral system

The 134 members of the House of Representatives were elected from single-member districts via first-past-the-post voting for two-year terms. Contested nominations of the DFL and Republican parties for each district were determined by an open primary election. Minor party and independent candidates were nominated by petition. Write-in candidates must have filed a request with the secretary of state's office for votes for them to have been counted.

Retiring members

Republican

According to MinnPost, the Star Tribune, the Pioneer Press, and MPR News, a total of 25 districts were competitive. MinnPost considered 17 districts to be competitive—12 of which were held by the Republicans and five by the DFL, the Star Tribune 22—16 of which were held by the Republicans and six by the DFL, the Pioneer Press eight—seven of which were held by the Republicans and one by the DFL, and MPR News 14—11 of which were held by the Republicans and three by the DFL.
DistrictIncumbentPartyFirst
elected		2014
result		MinnPost
Star Tribune
Pioneer Press
MPR News
Result
2ADave Hancock‡Republican2010, 2014†52.36%Hold
4BPaul MarquartDFL200065.84%Hold
5BTom AnzelcDFL200656.54%Republican gain
10BDale LueckRepublican201451.86%Hold
11BJason RarickRepublican201453.67%Hold
12AJeff BackerRepublican201451.85%Hold
14ATama TheisRepublican2013*54.90%Hold
14BJim KnoblachRepublican1994, 2014†50.15%Hold
17ATim MillerRepublican201455.37%Hold
17BDave BakerRepublican201450.66%Hold
21ATim Kelly‡Republican200862.17%Hold
24BBrian DanielsRepublican201450.85%Hold
25BKim Norton‡DFL200694.91%§Hold
28BGreg DavidsRepublican1991*, 2008†55.88%Hold
37BTim Sanders‡Republican200855.40%Hold
42ABarb YarussoDFL201250.55%Republican gain
44ASarah AndersonRepublican200655.51%Hold
48AYvonne Selcer‡DFL201250.04%Hold
49ARon ErhardtDFL1990, 2012†51.38%Republican gain
50BChad AndersonRepublican2016*65.60%DFL gain
54BDenny McNamara‡Republican200260.54%Hold
56ADrew ChristensenRepublican201455.81%Hold
56BRoz PetersonRepublican201453.99%Hold
57ATara Mack‡Republican200858.44%DFL gain
57BAnna WillsRepublican201258.40%Hold

Primary elections results

Opinion polling

Results

District results

Withdrawn candidates--

Seats changing parties

PartyIncumbentDistrictFirst electedWinnerParty
RepublicanChad Anderson50B2016*Andrew CarlsonDFL
Tara Mack‡57A2008Erin Maye QuadeDFL-
DFLJohn Persell5A2008Matt BlissRepublican
Tom Anzelc5B2006Sandy LaymanRepublican-
Barb Yarusso42A2012Randy JessupRepublican-
Ron Erhardt49A1990, 2012†Dario AnselmoRepublican-
Joe Atkins‡52B2002Regina BarrRepublican-
Dan Schoen‡54A2012Keith FrankeRepublican-

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