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Michael Howard (Minnesota)
2023 - Present
2027
2
Michael Howard (Democratic Party) is a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 51A. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 12, 2027.
Howard (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Minnesota House of Representatives to represent District 51A. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Michael Howard was born in Becker, Minnesota, and lives in Richfield. Howard earned a B.A. in political science from Augsburg College in 2005. His career experience includes working as a communications specialist and communications director at the Minnesota House of Representatives, a public affairs manager for the Minnesota Department of Education, and a director of communications for the Minnesota Super Bowl Host committee. Howard was elected to the Richfield City Council in 2014.[1][2][3]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Howard was assigned to the following committees:
- House Housing Finance and Policy Committee, Chair
- Rules and Legislative Administration Committee
- House Taxes Committee
- Ways and Means Committee
2021-2022
Howard was assigned to the following committees:
- House Taxes Committee
- House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee
- House Housing Finance and Policy Committee, Vice Chair
2019-2020
Howard was assigned to the following committees:
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 51A
Incumbent Michael Howard defeated Jeffrey Thompson in the general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 51A on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Michael Howard (D) | 73.4 | 15,440 |
| Jeffrey Thompson (R) | 26.3 | 5,533 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 51 | ||
| Total votes: 21,024 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Michael Howard advanced from the Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 51A.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Jeffrey Thompson advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 51A.
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Howard in this election.
2022
See also: Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 51A
Incumbent Michael Howard defeated Ryan Wiskerchen in the general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 51A on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Michael Howard (D) | 74.2 | 12,524 |
 | Ryan Wiskerchen (R) | 25.7 | 4,339 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 25 | ||
| Total votes: 16,888 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Michael Howard advanced from the Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 51A.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Ryan Wiskerchen advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 51A.
2020
See also: Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50A
Incumbent Michael Howard defeated Tim Johnson in the general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50A on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Michael Howard (D) | 68.5 | 14,626 |
| Tim Johnson (R) | 31.4 | 6,692 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 25 | ||
| Total votes: 21,343 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Michael Howard advanced from the Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50A.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Tim Johnson advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50A.
Campaign finance
2018
General election
General election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50A
Michael Howard defeated Kirsten Johnson in the general election for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50A on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Michael Howard (D) | 68.2 | 12,359 |
 | Kirsten Johnson (R) | 31.6 | 5,730 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 22 | ||
| Total votes: 18,111 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50A
Michael Howard advanced from the Democratic primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50A on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Michael Howard |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50A
Kirsten Johnson advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota House of Representatives District 50A on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Kirsten Johnson |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Michael Howard did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Michael Howard did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Michael Howard did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
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.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from February 12 to May 20.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 3 to May 22.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 31 to May 23.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 5 to May 17.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from February 11 to May 17. Special sessions were convened: June 12 to June 19; July 13 to July 21; August 12; September 11; October 12 to October 15; and November 12.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from January 8 through May 20.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Minnesota State Legislature was in session from February 20 through May 21.
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Minnesota House of Representatives District 51A |
Officeholder Minnesota House of Representatives District 51A |
Personal |
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sandra Masin (D) |
Minnesota House of Representatives District 51A 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Linda Slocum (D) |
Minnesota House of Representatives District 50A 2019-2023 |
Succeeded by Heather Edelson (D) |
