A special election was held in the U.S. state of Minnesota on February 4, 2020, to elect a new member for District 60A in the Minnesota House of Representatives, caused by the death of Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) member Diane Loeffler. A primary election was held on January 21, 2020, to nominate a DFL candidate. Sydney Jordan, the DFL nominee, won the special election.
Background On November 16, 2019, District 60A 15-year incumbent Diane Loeffler died of cancer. On November 27, 2019, Governor Tim Walz announced the date of the primary and special elections. Walz chose the date of the primary election to accommodate the large student population in the district, while still taking place before the February 11 reconvening of the 91st Minnesota Legislature.
District 60A is located in Hennepin County, representing northeast Minneapolis. Loeffler first represented the area when it was District 59A after winning election in 2004, succeeding fellow DFL member Len Biernat, who did not seek re-election. In the last election in 2018, Loeffler won with 86 percent of the vote.
Candidates The candidate filing period was from December 3 to December 10, 2019.
Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party Mohamed Barre, employee for the Hennepin County Health and Human Services Department Piyali Nath Dalal, writer Amal Ibrahim, interpreter Jessica Intermill, attorney Sydney Jordan, state director of Save the Boundary Waters Sonia Neculescu, political action director of Women for Political Change Aaron Neumann, real estate broker; former aide for then-U.S. Representative Keith Ellison Aswar Rahman, social media director for U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar's 2020 presidential campaign; candidate for mayor of Minneapolis in 2017 Saciido Shaie, cofounder and executive director of the Ummah Project Zachary Wefel, attorney Susan Whitaker, human resources employee for Hennepin County
Legal Marijuana Now Party Marty Super, candidate for the Minnesota Senate in District 60 in 2016
Primary election The area represented by District 60A has in recent decades voted overwhelmingly for DFL candidates. The winner of the DFL nomination would likely be the winner of the special election.
Results +PartyCandidateVotes%Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor PartySydney Jordan1,31828.55Jessica Intermill97621.14Sonia Neculescu79217.15Amal Ibrahim3427.41Aaron Neumann2695.83Zachary Wefel1793.88Aswar Rahman1753.79Susan Whitaker1713.70Saciido Shaie1573.40Piyali Nath Dalal1493.23Mohamed Barre891.93Subtotal4,617100.00Legal Marijuana Now PartyMarty Super69100.00Total4,686100.00Invalid/blank votes290.62Turnout (out of 26,581 registered voters)4,71517.74Source: Minnesota Secretary of State
Results +PartyCandidateVotes%+/−Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor PartySydney Jordan1,87987.44+0.99Legal Marijuana Now PartyMarty Super24711.49+11.49Write-ins231.07+0.80Total2,149100.00±0.00Invalid/blank votes60.28−2.38Turnout (out of 26,518 registered voters)2,1558.13−70.11Source: Minnesota Secretary of State
See also 2020 Minnesota House of Representatives District 30A special election List of special elections to the Minnesota House of Representatives
References
External links Elections & Voting - Minnesota Secretary of State District 60A special election - Minnesota Secretary of State
Official campaign websites Aaron Neumann (DFL) for MN House 60A Sydney Jordan (DFL) for Minnesota House Zachary Weifel (DFL) for MN State House People for Piyali Dalal (DFL), House 60A Amal Ibrahim (DFL) for MN House 60A Neighbors for Sonia Neculescu (DFL) Susan Whitaker (DFL) for State Representative Jessica Intermill for Eastside (DFL) Aswar Rahman for State Representative (DFL)