C-Notes: November 7, 2024
Executive Director Report
I'm sure many of you were tracking the elections on Tuesday night. While much of the media attention was focused on the Presidential race, we were also very interested in what was happening in the other races impacting Minnesota. Here is a breakdown of state and Federal election results:
Minnesota House of Representatives: The Democrats have controlled the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2018 and were looking for their fourth consecutive term in the majority. The House Republicans needed four seats to take the majority, but only won a net of 3 seats. As a result, we have a tied House of Representatives at 67-67. Two races are especially close. Rep. Brad Tabke (D) won re-election by 13 votes and Rep. Dan Wolgomott (D) won re-election by 28 votes. State law provides for a publicly-funded recount in state legislative races if the margin of victory is less than 0.5%, which is true in both of these races. The recounts could take as long as ten days to complete, which means that we won't know the outcome for some time. Interestingly, there has only been one other time in state history when the Minnesota House of Representatives was tied, and it was a mess. The nonpartisan House Information Office published a story describing the 1979 session, which you can read here. The mechanics of a tie are such that it requires both parties to negotiate the leadership positions, committee chairs, and number of members on committees. The rancor described in the article in the House Information would be twofold in today's legislature.
It should also be noted that current Police Chief Terry Stier from Belle Plaine ran for House of Representatives in District 22B. Chief Stier won that election and will be taking office in January. Congratulations to Rep-elect Stier.
Minnesota State Senate Special Election: The Democrats took control of the Senate by one seat in the 2022 elections on the heels of the Dobbs decision. While the Senate is in the middle of its four-year term, Senator Kelly Morrison resigned to run for Congress, leaving control of the Minnesota Senate for a special election in the western suburbs of Minneapolis. The Democrats needed to simply "re-win" the special election to maintain their majority, while the Republicans needed to win the seat to retake control of the Senate. Ann Johnson Stewart (D) won, which means the Democrats will continue to control the state Senate. This was the expected outcome, and the status quo continues. The full Senate will be up for election in 2026.
U.S. Senate: Amy Klobuchar easily won re-election to her fourth term 56 – 40.
Congressional Seats:
MN-1 – Incumbent Brad Finstad (R) easily won re-election by a 58 – 41 margin.
MN-2 – Incumbent Angie Craig (D) won re-election against Joe Teirab (R) by a 55 – 42, which was seen as the only competitive congressional race in Minnesota, which didn't turn out to be that competitive.
MN-3 – Former State Senator Kelly Morrison (D) defeated Tad Jude (R) by a 58 – 41 margin.
MN-4 – Incumbent Betty McCollum (D) easily won 67 – 32.
MN-5 – Incumbent Ilhan Omar (D) easily won her 4th term 74 – 24.
MN-6 – Incumbent Tom Emmer (R) easily won 62 – 37.
MN-7 – Incumbent Michelle Fishbach (R) easily won 70 – 29.
MN-8 – Incumbent Pete Stauber (R) won his 4th term against former State Representative Jen Schultz 57 – 41.
What's Next for Governor Walz?
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was tapped as Harris's VP candidate. Had they been successful, Walz's ascendance to VP would have set a chain reaction of events into motion in Minnesota where the Lt. Governor and the Senate President would both ascend to new positions. That, of course, won't be happening, and Governor Walz will come back to Minnesota to finish his term as governor. There is a lot of speculation as to whether he will run for a third term. Minnesota does not restrict how many terms a Governor can serve.
As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or want to discuss anything further.
Thank you,
Jeff Potts
Executive Director
Five Days Left to Apply for a Community Grant
The deadline to submit your agency's community partnership grant application is quickly approaching. MCPF has generously allocated $75,000 in total funding to help your departments with their community-focused events and programs.
This grant is an excellent resource for departments aiming to boost community engagement. Whether you're launching a new initiative or expanding an ongoing program, this funding can be a game-changer in supporting meaningful community partnerships. Enhance trust and transparency through impactful projects and programs!
If your agency received this grant in 2023, it's still eligible for 2024 funding. Build on your success or take a new approach to deepen community trust. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, November 12.
Visit mnchiefs.org/community-grants to learn more and apply today! If you have any questions, please contact Acacia Huss-Zirzow or Jeff Potts.
MCPA Hiring an Accreditation Specialist
The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA) is making significant strides in developing the Minnesota Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (MNLEAP). We anticipate launching MNLEAP in early 2025. Further details about the program and the application process will be shared soon.
MCPA is now hiring an Accreditation Specialist to support law enforcement agencies as they work towards achieving accreditation through MNLEAP. This role will play a key part in guiding agencies through the accreditation process and requirements while also supporting the MNLEAP Director and MCPA Executive Director in meeting both short-term and long-term program objectives.
If you know someone who may be interested in this opportunity, please share this job posting with them.
Leadership Academy
MCPA's Leadership Academy is a 3.5-day course for middle management/first-line supervisors in law enforcement.
There are just a few spots remaining for the December 10-13 Academy at Camp Ripley. Register now!
You can now also register for the May 19-22 Leadership Academy, also at Camp Ripley.
MAWP Award Submissions
The annual Minnesota Association of Women Police (MAWP) conference is May 5-7, 2025. At each conference, the organization recognizes females nominated for various awards by their departments. They encourage you to nominate your female staff for their hard work.
The following are the award categories:
- Office of the Year
- Leadership Award
- Medal of Valor Award
- Excellence in Service Award
- Community Service Award
- Excellence in Performance Award
- Melissa Schmidt Community Service Award
- Excellence in Support Award
- Carolen Daily Mentoring Award
- Recognition of Heritage Award
To learn more about the conference and the awards, please read this letter from MAWP President Debra Ocloo.
Minnesota Wild Law Enforcement Appreciation Night
Law Enforcement Appreciation Night with the Minnesota Wild!
Join us on December 3 at the Xcel Energy Center as we celebrate and support the brave men and women who protect and serve our communities. Watch the Wild take on the Canucks at 7 p.m. and take advantage of this special ticket pack offer!
Each ticket pack includes a Minnesota Wild Law Enforcement-branded T-shirt, and a portion of the proceeds will support the law enforcement community.
Learn more and get your tickets at https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/LEA-41203VAN.
Peer Support Training
