The sixty-ninth Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 7, 1975. The 67 members of the Minnesota Senate were elected during the General Election of November 7, 1972, while the 134 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives were elected during the General Election of November 5, 1974. The sixty-ninth Legislature was the first Minnesota Legislature to sit after the repeal of the requirement that Minnesota legislators be chosen in legally nonpartisan elections.
Sessions The legislature met in a regular session from January 7, 1975 to May 19, 1975. A continuation of the regular session was held between January 27, 1976 and April 7, 1976. There were no special sessions of the 69th Legislature.
Party summary Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Membership changes" section, below.
Senate Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Vacant DFL Ind. R End of previous Legislature 38 1 27 66 1 Begin 38 1 27 66 1 February 10, 1975 28 67 0 December 29, 1976 37 66 1 Latest voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 48 0 18 66 1
House of Representatives Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Vacant DFL R End of previous Legislature 78 56 134 0 Begin 104 30 134 0 January 27, 1976 103 31 Latest voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 104 30 134 0
Leadership Senate President of the Senate Alec G. Olson (DFL-Spicer)
Senate Majority Leader Nicholas D. Coleman (DFL-Saint Paul)
Senate Minority Leader Robert O. Ashbach (R-Saint Paul)
House of Representatives Speaker of the House Martin O. Sabo (DFL-Minneapolis)
House Majority Leader Irvin N. Anderson (DFL-International Falls)
House Minority Leader Henry J. Savelkoul (R-Albert Lea)
Members Senate
House of Representatives
Membership changes Senate District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date successorseated 33 None Incumbent Conservative/Republican Harold G. Krieger was elected to the office of district court judge of Olmsted County in the General Election of 1974, and was hence forced to resign from the Senate. The exact date of Krieger's resignation is unknown, but was prior to the convention of the 69th Legislature, and hence this seat was already vacant when the 69th Legislature convened. Nancy Brataas(IR) February 10, 1975 21 Alec G. Olson(DFL) Incumbent DFLer and then-Senate President Alec G. Olson had been reelected during the General Election of 1976. However, during the same election cycle, U.S. Senator Walter Mondale was elected Vice President of the United States, causing Mondale to resign from the U.S. Senate. Governor Wendell Anderson proceeded to appoint himself to Mondale's vacated seat, which caused Lieutenant Governor Rudy Perpich to succeed to the office of Governor, and hence created a vacancy in the office of Lieutenant Governor. As per the provisions of the Minnesota Constitution, Olson, as the last-elected President of the Senate, then succeeded to the office of Lieutenant Governor, causing him to automatically resign his seat in the Minnesota Senate effective December 29, 1976. Thus, this seat was still vacant when the 70th Legislature convened. Remained vacant
References
Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 69, Senate) Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Session Search Results (Session 69, House)