Shawna Marshall

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Shawna Marshall

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

University of Sioux Falls, 2009

Graduate

University of South Dakota, 2012

Personal

Profession

Licensed professional clinical counselor

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal website

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Shawna Marshall (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Minnesota State Senate to represent District 22. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Marshall completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Marshall earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Sioux Falls in 2009 and a master's degree from the University of South Dakota in 2012. Her professional experience includes working as a licensed professional clinical counselor.

Elections

2020

See also: Minnesota State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for Minnesota State Senate District 22

Incumbent Bill Weber defeated Shawna Marshall and Brian Abrahamson in the general election for Minnesota State Senate District 22 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bill Weber (R)	69.2	26,697
		Shawna Marshall (D)	25.7	9,936
		Brian Abrahamson (Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota)	5.0	1,947
		Other/Write-in votes	0.0	19

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 38,599
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 22

Shawna Marshall defeated Roger Elgersma in the Democratic primary for Minnesota State Senate District 22 on August 11, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Shawna Marshall	76.1	1,897
	Submit photo	Roger Elgersma	23.9	597

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,494 (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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 22

Incumbent Bill Weber advanced from the Republican primary for Minnesota State Senate District 22 on August 11, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bill Weber	100.0	4,406

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,406 (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.

Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota primary election

Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota primary for Minnesota State Senate District 22

Brian Abrahamson advanced from the Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota primary for Minnesota State Senate District 22 on August 11, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brian Abrahamson	100.0	44

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 44 (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.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Shawna Marshall completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Marshall's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I grew up with the strong belief that if you wanted change, you have to create change.

I used that philosophy as I worked in clinical counseling for mental health over the past six years in the 5 county area to create greater ease and stability for our citizens.

And I'm using that philosophy again as I see my beloved nation struggle.

And I'm starting right here in my very own community.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Promoting a Self Reliant Minnesota
• Giving a Voice to Underrepresented Populations
• Promoting the interests of Agriculture, Education, and Labor

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

With my background in the mental health field, access to mental health services is personally dear to my heart. I am also the first person I'm my family who has gone to college, so I know how integral a quality education can be to future success. And finally, being a mother, looking to the future is always on my mind. This can include clean energy, looking at legalizing marijuana, and improving access to healthcare and education.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My most meaningful example in life has been my mother. She worked hard, she sacrificed, and she stood up in the hard times to protect those she was responsible for. I will strive to represent my district in much the same way.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I was 16 when the Twin Towers went down. I remember being in school that morning and the confusion and fear that instaneously popped up when reports started coming in. I remember that these events also led to a deep sense of unity that, for a moment, existed in this country. We stood as one. I would like to reach a place where we can be one nation again, with the common interests of the whole in mind, without having to live through a tragedy to have that.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I went out and got my first job days after I turned 14. I was a cashier at Hardees. It was a glamorous job, I didnt have my own transportation so making it there every day was sometimes an issue, but I learned my own money. That was a big deal to me. I grew up with a single mother who worked hard to provide for my siblings and I, so having my own money to buy new shoes, go to the movie theater, or even help my mom out at times instilled a deep sense of pride and responsibility in me.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Redemption by Shawna Marshall

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I think experience is earned through experience. The details can be learned on the job. What is necessary is heart and the desire to serve the people. That is more important than experience.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Our biggest and most immediate challenge will be to recover economically from Covid-19. Following that, our biggest challenges will be empowering our people, fully funding our educational system, supporting our agricultural community, and addressing the systemic racism occurring in our state.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

The ideal relationship is the one that is laid out as how it should be, co-equal, supportive branches that balance and challenge one another.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Yes, when we work together as amicably as possible, we are better able to reach the joint decisions necessary to serve the people we represent.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2020 Elections

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Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Minnesota State Senate

Leadership

Senate President:Bobby Champion

Majority Leader:Erin Murphy

Minority Leader:Mark Johnson

Senators

District 1

Mark Johnson (R)

District 2

Steve Green (R)

District 3

Grant Hauschild (D)

District 4

Rob Kupec (D)

District 5

Paul Utke (R)

District 6

Keri Heintzeman (R)

District 7

Robert Farnsworth (R)

District 8

Jen McEwen (D)

District 9

Jordan Rasmusson (R)

District 10

Nathan Wesenberg (R)

District 11

Jason Rarick (R)

District 12

Torrey Westrom (R)

District 13

Jeff Howe (R)

District 14

Aric Putnam (D)

District 15

Gary Dahms (R)

District 16

Andrew Lang (R)

District 17

Glenn Gruenhagen (R)

District 18

Nick Frentz (D)

District 19

John Jasinski (R)

District 20

Steve Drazkowski (R)

District 21

Bill Weber (R)

District 22

Rich Draheim (R)

District 23

Gene Dornink (R)

District 24

Carla Nelson (R)

District 25

Liz Boldon (D)

District 26

Jeremy Miller (R)

District 27

Andrew Mathews (R)

District 28

Mark Koran (R)

District 29

Vacant

District 30

Eric Lucero (R)

District 31

Calvin Bahr (R)

District 32

Michael Kreun (R)

District 33

Karin Housley (R)

District 34

John Hoffman (D)

District 35

Jim Abeler (R)

District 36

Heather Gustafson (D)

District 37

Warren Limmer (R)

District 38

Susan Pha (D)

District 39

Mary Kunesh-Podein (D)

District 40

John Marty (D)

District 41

Judy Seeberger (D)

District 42

Bonnie Westlin (D)

District 43

Ann Rest (D)

District 44

Tou Xiong (D)

District 45

Ann Stewart (D)

District 46

Ron Latz (D)

District 47

Vacant

District 48

Julia Coleman (R)

District 49

Steve Cwodzinski (D)

District 50

Alice Mann (D)

District 51

Melissa Wiklund (D)

District 52

Jim Carlson (D)

District 53

Matt Klein (D)

District 54

Eric Pratt (R)

District 55

Lindsey Port (D)

District 56

Erin Maye Quade (D)

District 57

Zach Duckworth (R)

District 58

Bill Lieske (R)

District 59

Bobby Champion (D)

District 60

Doron Clark (D)

District 61

Scott Dibble (D)

District 62

Omar Fateh (D)

District 63

Zaynab Mohamed (D)

District 64

Erin Murphy (D)

District 65

Sandra Pappas (D)

District 66

Clare Oumou Verbeten (D)

District 67

Foung Hawj (D)

Democratic Party (33)

Republican Party (32)

Vacancies (2)