Carly Melin


Carly Melin is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, she represented District 6A, which included portions of the Iron Range in Itasca and St. Louis counties in northeastern Minnesota. In February 2018, Melin became executive director of the Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council, a labor group representing 70,000 union members. On January 31, 2019, Attorney General Keith Ellison appointed Melin as government affairs director for his office.

Early life, education, and career

Melin attended Hibbing High School in Hibbing, Minnesota. She received a B.S. in political science magna cum laude from Bemidji State University and a J.D. from Hamline University School of Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota. After graduating, she returned to the Iron Range to practice law, accepting a position with the Minnesota State Judiciary.

Minnesota House of Representatives

Melin won a special election held on February 15, 2011, to fill the vacancy that arose after Governor Mark Dayton appointed Representative Tony Sertich commissioner of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board. She was reelected in 2012 and 2014, but did not seek reelection in 2016, citing a desire to spend more time raising her two sons.

Personal life

Melin married her high school sweetheart Zeb Norenberg on June 8, 2013. They have two sons. Melin and Norenberg divorced in 2017. In July 2018, Melin and former state representative Joe Radinovich announced their engagement.