State Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Special Election Lawsuit

STATE CAPITOL – The Minnesota Supreme Court will decide whether Governor Tim Walz acted in accordance with state statute when he called for a special election to fill the vacancy in District 40B.

State Supreme Court Justices were full of questions for both the GOP attorneys for the Minnesota Voters Alliance and attorneys representing Governor Tim Walz and Secretary of State Steve Simon. The case, brought by the GOP, takes issue with how Gov. Walz called a special election to fill the vacancy in District 40B. The district was made vacant after a District Court ruled the DFL winner, Curtis Johnson, was ineligible due to living outside of the district.

Republicans claim that the Governor should have waited until the House formerly accepted the District Court’s ruling; then he would have five days to order a special election.

Chief Justice Natalie Hudson pressed GOP attorney Ryan Wilson, on the fact that current House proceedings are contested, due to only Republicans being present. Wilson affirmed that he believed the 67 Republicans in the House had achieved a quorum.

Justices also pressed GOP lawyers over the practicability of delaying the election again, and the negative impact on voters.