Voters in parts of Roseville and Shoreview went to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in a special election that determines the balance of power in the Minnesota House.

DFLer David Gottfried defeated Republican Paul Wikstrom in House District 40B, which will restore a 67-67 tie in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Gottfried said in part, “This victory is for Roseville, Shoreview, and every constituent who hasn’t been represented for weeks. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be headed to Saint Paul as soon as possible to get to work for this district and Minnesota.”

DNC Chair and Minnesota DFL Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:

“As a proud Minnesotan, I’m honored to congratulate David Gottfried on his crucial special election victory. Minnesota is a shining example of what can happen under Democratic leadership: providing free breakfast and lunch for K-12 students, investing in mental health services, strengthening worker protections, establishing paid family and medical leave, and enshrining protections for reproductive freedom into law. Since November’s election, Democrats continue to fight and win in communities across the country.”

House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, issued the following statement:

“It was always going to be an uphill battle to win in a dark blue Democrat seat, but we look forward to having the House back at full strength. I want to thank Paul Wikstrom for running an incredible race and ensuring that District 40B is represented by someone who actually resides in the community. While the House will return to a 67-67 tie after tonight, House Republican priorities remain unchanged: we will continue our effort to stop the fraud, protect Minnesotans from harmful tax increases, and work with our Democrat colleagues to pass a responsible and balanced budget.”

DFL Rep.-elect Curtis Johnson won the seat in November, but a judge ruled he was ineligible for office because he didn’t meet residency requirements in the district.

Gov. Tim Walz set a special election for Jan. 28 to fill the seat, but Republicans soon raised another challenge, arguing that Walz was premature in calling the special election. The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in their favor.

The special election was then rescheduled for Tuesday, where the results could determine the future direction of the state’s budget.

As previously reported, the projected surplus for 2026-2027 is now $160 million lower than expected. It comes with a nearly $6 billion deficit projected for 2028-2029.