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John Ward (Minnesota)
John Ward (b. August 2, 1950) is a former Democratic-Farmer-Labor member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 10A from 2007 to 2015. In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Ward served as an assistant majority leader.
Ward served as mayor of Proctor from 1984 to 1988 and on the Proctor City Council from 1982 to 1984.
Biography
Ward's professional experience includes working as a property/casualty insurance agent with EPIC Insurance, emotional behavioral disorder instructor in the Brainerd School System, alternative education director for Independent School District 704, and an adult basic education instructor at the Northeast Regional Corrections Center.[1]
Committee assignments
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Ward served on the following committees:
| Minnesota committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Capital Investment, Vice chair |
| • Jobs and Economic Development Finance and Policy |
| • Legacy |
| • Public Safety Finance and Policy |
| • Rules and Legislative Administration |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Ward served on the following committees:
| Minnesota committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Agriculture and Rural Development |
| • Capital Investment |
| • Education Finance |
Campaign themes
2012
Ward's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[2]
Constituent Services
- Excerpt: "As your representative, I author, research and vote on legislation. My role as your legislator is to advocate for YOU and YOUR interests to the best of my ability and to work as hard as I can to protect and enhance YOUR quality of life."
Jobs and Economy
- Excerpt: "I will work to create and retain living wage jobs in our communities. I will encourage local economic development, which is vital for the economic stability of area families."
Education
- Excerpt: "I will continue to fight to return Minnesota to the forefront of public education by fully and fairly funding our public school systems."
Healthcare
- Excerpt: "I have witnessed the impact on quality of life that the lack of access to affordable health care has. Providing healthcare for all will remain one of my highest legislative priorities."
Property Tax Reform
- Excerpt: "I am committed to a fair, progressive and balanced tax structure for individuals and businesses in which all pay their fair share. Property ownership should be an attainable reality for all Minnesotans- not just the 'American Dream.'"
Elections
2014
Elections for the Minnesota House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election was held on August 12, 2014, and a general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 3, 2014. Incumbent John Ward was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Josh Heintzeman was unopposed in the Republican primary. Heintzeman defeated Ward in the general election.[3][4][5]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Josh Heintzeman |
53.4% | 8,646 | |
| Democratic | John Ward Incumbent | 46.5% | 7,539 | |
| Write-in | Write-in | 0.1% | 15 | |
| Total Votes | 16,200 | |||
2012
Ward won re-election in the 2012 election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 10A. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary on August 7 and defeated Chris Kellett (R) in the general election on November 6.[6][7]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Ward Incumbent |
57.1% | 11,789 | |
| Republican | Chris Kellett | 42.9% | 8,872 | |
| Total Votes | 20,661 | |||
2010
Ward won re-election to the District 12A seat in 2010. He had no primary opposition. He defeated Kevin Goedker (R) in the general election on November 2, 2010.[8][9]
| Minnesota House of Representatives, District 12A (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| John Ward (DFL)
|
9,435 | 57.52% | ||
| Kevin Goedker (R) | 6,924 | 42.21% | ||
| Write-In | 45 | 0.27% | ||
2008
On November 4, 2008, John Ward won election to the District 12A Seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives, defeating David Allan Pundt.[10]
John Ward raised $50,407 for his campaign.[11]
| Minnesota House of Representatives, District 12A (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| John Ward (DFL)
|
13,766 | 64.93% | ||
| David Allan Pundt (R) | 7,410 | 34.95% | ||
| Write-In | 26 | 0.12% | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Minnesota scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2014
In 2014, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from February 25 to May 19.
- Legislators are scored on if they supported or opposed AFSCME's position.
- Legislators are scored based on votes on economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their support for the organization's principles, which it defines as "provid[ing] a basis for a constitutionally limited government established to sustain life, liberty, justice, property rights and free enterprise."
- Legislators are scored on bills of interest to an organization advocating "limited government, free enterprise, and individual liberty."
- Legislators are scored based on bills related to education.
- Legislators are scored on business-related bills.
- Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.
- Legislators are scored based on issues affecting nurses, healthcare, and working families.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to animals.
- Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- Legislators are scored on how they voted on tax and fiscal legislation.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Legislators are scored by the organization on "their support for legislation forwarding an equitable and inclusive Minnesota."
2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2013, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 8 to May 20.
|
2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2012, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 24 to May 10.
|
2011
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2011, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2011, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 4 to May 23.
|
Taxpayers League of Minnesota
The Taxpayers League of Minnesota, a Minnesota-based taxpayer advocacy organization, releases a legislative scorecard for the Minnesota House of Representatives and Minnesota State Senate once a year. The scorecard gives each legislator a score based on how they voted in the prior legislative term on tax issues and “their efforts to balance the state budget without a tax increase.” The organization also compiles a legislator’s individual "Lifetime Score."[12]
2013
Ward received a score of 0% in the 2013 scorecard, ranking 75th out of all 134 Minnesota House of Representatives members.[13]
2012
Ward received a score of 0% in the 2012 scorecard, ranking 109th out of all 134 Minnesota House of Representatives members.[14]
2011
Ward received a score of 0% in the 2011 scorecard, ranking 112th out of all 134 Minnesota House of Representatives members. [15]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Ward is married with four children. He has been a member of the Brainerd Elks Club and Brainerd Moose Club.[1]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term John + Ward + Minnesota + Legislature
External links
- Office website
- Campaign website
- Profile from Open States
- Legislative profile from Project Vote Smart
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Contributions: 2008, 2006
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Project Vote Smart, "John Ward's Biography," accessed January 13, 2015
- ↑ voteforward, accessed October 16, 2012
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2014 general election results," accessed November 5, 2014
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "State Canvassing Board Report," August 19, 2014
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2014 State General Election Candidate Filings," accessed July 25, 2014
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2012 State General Election Candidate Filings," accessed June 18, 2012
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Minnesota State Canvassing Report - State Primary - Tuesday, August 14, 2012," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Report of Votes Cast - Minnesota State Primary - Tuesday, August 10, 2010," accessed November 29, 2014
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "State of Minnesota Canvassing Report," accessed November 29, 2014
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "All Races by Legislative District," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Ward, John," accessed January 13, 2015
- ↑ Taypayers League of Minnesota, "Legislative Scorecards," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ Taypayers League of Minnesota, "Legislative Scorecard, 2013," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ Taypayers League of Minnesota, "Legislative Scorecard, 2012," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ Taypayers League of Minnesota, "Legislative Scorecard, 2011," accessed May 15, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bud Nornes (R) |
Minnesota State House District 10A 2013-2015 |
Succeeded by Josh Heintzeman (R) |
| Preceded by - |
Minnesota State House District 12A 2007–2013 |
Succeeded by Jay McNamar (DFL) |
