A Minnesota judge ruled that a Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party candidate is ineligible to be sworn in after not meeting residency requirements, giving Republicans a majority in the Minnesota House.
In a ruling issued on Friday, Ramsey County District Court Judge Leonardo Castro stated that DFL candidate Curtis Johnson, who won his race to represent Minnesota’s House District 40B, did not meet the residency requirements of living in “the district” for “six months before the election,” according to CBS News.
Due to Castro’s ruling, the balance of power goes from a 67-67 tie between Democrats and Republicans to giving Republicans a “one-seat” majority in Minnesota’s House:
The decision tips the balance of power — at least temporarily — from a 67-67 tie among Republicans and Democrats to a one-seat GOP majority. That slim majority is not enough to pass legislation without DFL buy-in — 68 votes are required to approve bills on the floor — but it would allow Republicans to pick a speaker and make other decisions about how the chamber operates.
“This is not a suggestion nor an inconvenience,” Castro explained about the residency rules. “The reasons for the mandate are obvious and axiomatic to our representative form of government.”
Under Castro’s ruling, Johnson will not be allowed to be sworn into office on January 14, 2025, and the seat will need to “be filled according to law,” the outlet reported.
Castro’s ruling comes as Johnson previously requested in November that an election challenge from his Republican opponent Paul Wikstrom, claiming that Johnson had not met the residency requirements for the district he had won, be thrown out, according to Twin Cities Pioneer Press.
In response to Wikstrom’s lawsuit “challenging Johnson’s victory,” Johnson argued that Wikstrom had “unreasonably delayed his investigation” regarding Johnson’s residency and “filed evidence” to show that he did live at a Roseville apartment in the district he won, according to the outlet:
Johnson also filed evidence to support his residency at a Roseville apartment in the district — including documents from the property manager showing he resided in a different unit from the one Wikstro’s campaign had surveilled and claimed was unoccupied.
“Contestant Paul Wikstrom has proven by clear and convincing evidence that Curtis Johnson did not reside in Minnesota House District 40B for the entirety of the six months prior to the general election,” Curtis stated, according to CBS News. “Curtis Johnson’s own testimony revealed he did not reside and maintain a regular abode within House District 40B before mid-October 2024.”
Castro’s statement came after Wikstrom’s campaign had “monitored” Johnson’s home located in Little Canada and had taken “photos and videos showing Johnson’s car in the driveway,” according to CBS News.
CBS News reported that Johnson is able to appeal Castro’s ruling.