Judge rules DFL House candidate did not meet residency requirements, won't be sworn in

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Judge rules DFL House candidate did not meet residency requirements, won’t be sworn in

By KSTP
Updated: 1 hour ago
Published: December 20, 2024 - 1:15 PM


House 40B candidates Paul Wikstrom, left, and Curtis Johnson. (Campaign photos)

A judge on Friday granted a Republican candidate’s contest of the results of a Minnesota House race after finding his Democratic opponent did not establish residency in House District 40B.

DFL candidate Curtis Johnson won the election in the district that includes parts of Roseville and Shoreview by more than 7,500 votes, but his opponent, Republican Paul Wikstrom, found Johnson was still living in Little Canada in the months leading up to the event.

Johnson had signed a lease at a Roseville apartment complex earlier in the year, but Wikstrom’s campaign built a body of evidence suggesting he had never moved in. Investigators took photos of Johnson’s car, a blue Mitsubishi, consistently parked in the driveway of the home he and his wife own in Little Canada.

Based on testimony from Johnson and witnesses who had surveilled Johnson’s whereabouts, District Judge Leonardo Castro found Johnson “spent scant time” at the Roseville apartment until Oct. 15. State law requires candidates to reside in the district they represent for at least six months before the general election.

{snip}

[in2herbs]

1. Isn't this exactly what Tuberville is doing? Oh wait, Tuberville's an R and Johnson is a D. nt

[MichMan]

2. Why would a Minnesota state law have anything to do with someone in Alabama?

"State law requires candidates to reside in the district they represent for at least six months before the general election"

[MichMan]

3. Now, due to his own recklessness, this gives the Republicans the majority instead of a tie.

Pretty stupid of Johnson to be disqualified for something like this that was easily in his control.

I wonder how people that volunteered and put time and effort into his campaign feel right now.

[question everything]

4. This means, therefore, that the R control the House..

[dflprincess]

5. Only by 1 vote & probably only until the special election can be held (the district is 65-35, DFL)

Not much is going to get done this session even if we had that seat.

[nmmi]

7. Why would there be a special election? /nt

[dflprincess]

8. If the state Supreme Court upholds the lower court's ruling the seat will be vacant

and a special election will be called.

The Republican, who lost by a wide margin, will not be declared the winner. It's not like he's the runner up in the Miss America Pageant.

[nmmi]

10. Seems like if it was the reverse situation, where the Republican cheated and was adjudicated not qualified

to take office, and so a do-over election is held (in the reverse situation, a heavily "R" district) -- then I think we would be mad as hell. I would.

But maybe that's my "Miss America Pageant" mentality.

[nmmi]

6. Johnson has 10 days to appeal the ruling to the Minnesota Supreme Court. House Democrats are optimistic an appeal will b

Johnson had filed a petition for discretionary review with the Minnesota Supreme Court to have the election contest dismissed on grounds that Wikstrom should have raised the residency issue before the election, but the court issued an order on Friday denying that request.

Johnson has 10 days to appeal the ruling to the Minnesota Supreme Court. House Democrats are optimistic an appeal will be successful.

“The court erred as a matter of law in not dismissing this case. A residency issue must be resolved before an election and is not an appropriate basis for an election contest. We will appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court, and expect the Supreme Court will dismiss the case,” House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, said in a statement.

[JMCKUSICK]

9. This is why people hate politicians

The whole thing from candidate to House Speaker just stinks of rules don't apply to us, sound familiar?

[iemanja]

11. Shouldn't this have been determined when he first filed the paperwork to run?

Don't they check residency then?