Early this morning we posted Spouse Jennifer Carnahan: MN01 Congressman Jim Hagedorn dies peacefully in the night.
In a statement, Governor Walz Orders Flags Flown at Half-Staff in Honor of Congressman Jim Hagedorn:
Governor Tim Walz has ordered all United States and Minnesota flags to be flown at half-staff at all state buildings in the State of Minnesota immediately until sunset on Saturday, February 19, 2022, in honor and remembrance of Congressman Jim Hagedorn.
“Congressman Hagedorn proudly served Minnesota’s First District since 2019,” reads the proclamation issued by Governor Walz. “The State of Minnesota requests that all flags be lowered to honor and remember Congressman Hagedorn’s life and service.”
Individuals, businesses, and other organizations are also encouraged to join in lowering their flags.
It seems premature to write about filling the congressional seat left open by his death, but Minnesota law outlines a process for the fairly swift replacement by voters.
Within the hour, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon today issued the following statement via email
“I want to offer my condolences to the family and friends of Congressman Hagedorn. He served the people of his district with an admirable passion. May his memory be a blessing.
His passing has created a vacancy in the office of U.S. Representative for the 1st Congressional District, which by law will be filled by a special election.”
Details are as follows:The filling period for candidates will be announced with the writ of special election, which will be issued by the Office of the Governor.
The filing period must end by March 15. Our expectation is that the filing period will be at least two weeks.
A special primary for the seat will be held May 24, with early voting by absentee beginning April 8.
The special election for the seat will be held August 9, with early voting by absentee beginning June 24.
The special election will take place within the current congressional district boundaries, not the new 2022 redistricting maps. [emphasis added]
The candidate winning the special election will serve the remainder of Congressman Hagedorn’s term.
Note: August 9 is also the date of the statewide primary election.
Earlier in the day, Forum News Service capitol reporter Dana Ferguson explains in Southern Minnesota voters to decide who will fill vacancy after Rep. Jim Hagedorn's death:
Voters in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District will decide who should replace the late U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn in an August special election coinciding with the state's primary contests.
Minnesota law spells out the conditions for filling legislative vacancies. And it says that the governor within three days of the death of a sitting lawmaker will provide notice of the special election and potential primary contest. . . .
Gov. Tim Walz, a former 1st Congressional District representative who was challenged by Hagedorn in 2016, was expected to announce details for the special election within the three-day window.
But even without an announcement, state law lays out the timeline for an election. Here's what voters can expect based on that framework:
- On May 24, voters in the 1st Congressional District will be able to cast their ballots in partisan primaries to decide who moves on to a special election.
- Then on Aug. 9, voters in the current 1st Congressional District will elect a representative to serve out the remainder of the term that runs through January.
- Also on Aug. 9, voters around the state will participate in partisan primary elections for the 2022 general election.
Voters in the 1st District could opt to send a representative to Congress for a few months and then choose someone else to serve out the following two-year term that starts in 2023. Or, depending on which candidates throw their hats into the ring, voters might be able to choose the same person to serve out both terms.
Meanwhile, a third group of voters could vote in the special election: Those who were in the 1st District before new voting maps based on U.S. Census data were issued this week.
A panel of Minnesota judges on Tuesday, Feb. 15, issued new voting maps that reshaped the state's eight congressional districts. The new boundaries move some current voters out of the district and add new ones to CD1 that had previously resided in neighboring districts.
Those who were in the 1st District before the new lines were drawn could vote in the special election to fill the vacancy — as well as participate in the primary in their new district.
Elsewhere in the Post Bulletin, check out Matthew Stolle's excellent review of Hagedorn's career in Congressman Jim Hagedorn dies at age 59.
Photo: Jim Hagedorn campaigning in Rochester in 2020.
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