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Minnesota State Senate District 42
Minnesota State Senate District 42 is represented by Bonnie Westlin (D).
As of the 2020 Census, Minnesota state senators represented an average of 85,220 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 79,327 residents.
About the chamber
Members of the Minnesota State Senate serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Minnesota legislators assume office on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January after the election. When the first Monday in January falls on January 1, legislators assume office on the first Wednesday after the first Monday.[1][2]
Qualifications
To be eligible to run for the Minnesota State Senate, a candidate must:[3]
- Be eligible to vote in Minnesota
- Be 21 years of age or more upon assuming office
- Be a resident of Minnesota for at least one year before the general election
- Be a resident of the legislative district for at least six months before the general election
- Have not filed for another office at the upcoming primary or general election
- Participated in the party's most recent precinct caucuses, or intend to vote for a majority of the party's candidates at the next general election (if major party candidate)
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[4] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $51,750/year | For senators: $86/day. For representatives: $66/day. |
Vacancies
Vacancies in the Minnesota State Legislature are filled through election. If there are more than 150 days before the next state general election, and the legislature will not be in session before the results are canvassed, then any vacancy is filled at the next state general election.[5][6]
If the vacancy happens during the legislative session, the governor has five days to issue a writ calling for a special election. The election must take place no more than 35 days after the issuance of the writ. If the legislature is out of session and there are fewer than 150 days before the next state general election, the governor must call for a special election so the winner of the election can take office when the legislature reconvenes.[6][7]
See sources: Minnesota Cons. Art. 4, § 4 and Minnesota Stat. § 204D.19
District map
Redistricting
2020 redistricting cycle
Minnesota enacted new legislative district boundaries on February 15, 2022, when a special judicial redistricting panel issued an order adopting final maps. Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea established the five-judge special redistricting panel in June 2021 to hear legal challenges regarding redistricting and adopt maps should the legislature not agree on them. The panel consisted of two state court of appeals justices and three state district court judges. Republican governors originally appointed two of the five justices, Democratic governors originally appointed two, and former Gov. Jesse Ventura (Reform) originally appointed one justice.
On June 2, 2022, Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed legislation containing adjustments to Senate Districts 15 and 16 as well as to House Districts 15, 16, and 58.[8] The changes were effective for the 2022 elections. On May 24, 2023, Walz signed a state budget bill that included modifications to Senate Districts 9, 12, 17, and 24.[9][10][11] The changes were effective for the 2024 elections.
How does redistricting in Minnesota work? In Minnesota, congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the Minnesota State Legislature. These lines are subject to veto by the governor.[12]
The Minnesota Constitution requires "that state Senate districts be contiguous, and that Representative districts be nested within Senate districts." State statutes apply contiguity requirements to all congressional and state legislative districts. Furthermore, state statutes stipulate that political subdivisions should not be divided "more than necessary."[12]
Minnesota State Senate District 42
before 2020 redistricting cycle
Click a district to compare boundaries.
Minnesota State Senate District 42
after 2020 redistricting cycle
Click a district to compare boundaries.
Elections
2022
- See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Minnesota State Senate District 42
Bonnie Westlin defeated Paul Hillen in the general election for Minnesota State Senate District 42 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Bonnie Westlin (D)  | 57.7 | 23,752 |
 | Paul Hillen (R) | 42.3 | 17,395 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 19 | ||
| Total votes: 41,166 | |||
| = 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. Bonnie Westlin advanced from the Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 42.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Paul Hillen advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 42.
2020
- See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Minnesota State Senate District 42
Incumbent Jason Isaacson defeated Ben Schwanke in the general election for Minnesota State Senate District 42 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jason Isaacson (D) | 58.7 | 29,647 |
 | Ben Schwanke (R) | 41.1 | 20,771 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 78 | ||
| Total votes: 50,496 | |||
| = 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 Jason Isaacson advanced from the Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 42.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Ben Schwanke advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 42.
Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!
2016
- See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the Minnesota State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 9, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was May 31, 2016. Incumbent Bev Scalze (D) did not seek re-election.
Jason Isaacson defeated Candy Sina in the Minnesota State Senate District 42 general election.[13][14]
| Minnesota State Senate, District 42 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Jason Isaacson |
54.30% | 24,962 | |
| Republican | Candy Sina | 45.70% | 21,008 | |
| Total Votes | 45,970 | |||
| Source: Minnesota Secretary of State | ||||
Jason Isaacson ran unopposed in the Minnesota State Senate District 42 Democratic primary.[15][16]
| Minnesota State Senate, District 42 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Jason Isaacson (unopposed) | |
Candy Sina ran unopposed in the Minnesota State Senate District 42 Republican primary.[15][16]
| Minnesota State Senate, District 42 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Candy Sina (unopposed) | |
2012
- See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2012
Elections for the Minnesota State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 14, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 5, 2012. Bev Scalze (D) defeated April King (R) in the general election. Neither candidate faced opposition in their primary.[17][18]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bev Scalze |
55.7% | 25,607 | |
| Republican | April King | 44.3% | 20,400 | |
| Total Votes | 46,007 | |||
Campaign contributions
From 2000 to 2022, candidates for Minnesota State Senate District 42 raised a total of $838,190. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $39,914 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money
| Campaign contributions, Minnesota State Senate District 42 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Amount | Candidates | Average |
| 2022 | $186,015 | 2 | $93,008 |
| 2020 | $142,198 | 2 | $71,099 |
| 2016 | $35,673 | 2 | $17,837 |
| 2012 | $86,412 | 2 | $43,206 |
| 2010 | $95,366 | 2 | $47,683 |
| 2008 | $4,045 | 1 | $4,045 |
| 2006 | $102,046 | 2 | $51,023 |
| 2004 | $4,220 | 1 | $4,220 |
| 2002 | $71,799 | 5 | $14,360 |
| 2000 | $110,416 | 2 | $55,208 |
| Total | $838,190 | 21 | $39,914 |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Minnesota.gov, "Minnesota Statute 3.05," accessed February 12, 2021
- ↑ Minnesota.gov, "Minnesota Statute 3.011," accessed November 1, 2021
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Qualifications," accessed May 22, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Minnesota Revisor of Statutes, "Constitution of the State of Minnesota," accessed February 12, 2021 (Article 4, Section 4)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Minnesota Revisor of Statutes, "2020 Minnesota Statutes," accessed February 12, 2021 (Statute 204D.19 (1)-(3))
- ↑ Minnesota Revisor of Statutes, "2020 Minnesota Statutes," accessed February 12, 2021 (Statute 204B.13)
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedchange2 - ↑ 12.0 12.1 All About Redistricting, "Minnesota," accessed May 4, 2015
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Filing Search," accessed August 25, 2016
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "General election results, 2016," accessed December 19, 2016
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Filings," accessed June 3, 2016
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Minnesota Secretary of State, "Minnesota State Primary: Tuesday, August 9, 2016," accessed August 9, 2016
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Official 2012 General Election Results," accessed November 12, 2013
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Official 2012 Primary Election Results," accessed November 12, 2013
