Minnesota State Senate District 51

Tue, Nov 3 · Represented by Melissa Wiklund Democratic (not a candidate in 2026) · Member list as of Oct 28

No published poll names both candidates.Last result · 2022 general (different candidates): Melissa Wiklund (D) 69.6, Frank Pafko (R) 30.2

Simon Trautmann CordovaDemocratic

Last election: Melissa Wiklund (Democratic) won by 39.4 points, 2022
On the 2026 ballot: 2 candidates

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Candidates on the ballot

Open seat

The current holder, Melissa Wiklund, is not on the candidate list.

Simon Trautmann CordovaDemocratic
Juline BirgerssonRepublican

Source: electionresultsfiles.sos.mn.gov, dated Oct 28

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Official results for Minnesota

History (17 elections for this seat)

Votes for listed candidates: 33,228
Election day: November 8, 2022
District map: Older district map (2022)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 2022, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticMelissa WiklundWon(incumbent)Name as filed: Melissa Halvorson Wiklund	Democratic	23,14169.6%	69.6%
RepublicanFrank Pafko	Republican	10,04930.2%	30.2%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	380.1%	0.1%

Votes for listed candidates: 50,168
Election day: November 3, 2020
District map: Older district map (2012 to 2021)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 2020, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticJim CarlsonWon(incumbent)	Democratic	30,71961.2%	61.2%
RepublicanDouglas D. Willetts	Republican	19,38938.6%	38.6%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	600.1%	0.1%

Votes for listed candidates: 45,071
Election day: November 8, 2016
District map: Older district map (2012 to 2021)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 2016, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticJim CarlsonWon(incumbent)	Democratic	24,35854.0%	54.0%
RepublicanVictor Lake	Republican	20,66245.8%	45.8%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	510.1%	0.1%

Votes for listed candidates: 45,144
Election day: November 6, 2012
District map: Older district map (2012 to 2021)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 2012, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticJim CarlsonWon	Democratic	23,96953.1%	53.1%
RepublicanTed Daley(incumbent)	Republican	21,09646.7%	46.7%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	790.2%	0.2%

Votes for listed candidates: 32,345
Election day: November 2, 2010
District map: Older district map (2002 to 2011)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 2010, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
RepublicanPam WolfWon	Republican	17,00252.6%	52.6%
DemocraticDon Betzold(incumbent)	Democratic	15,30147.3%	47.3%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	420.1%	0.1%

Votes for listed candidates: 32,663
Election day: November 7, 2006
District map: Older district map (2002 to 2011)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 2006, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticDonald BetzoldWon(incumbent)	Democratic	17,80254.5%	54.5%
RepublicanPam Wolf	Republican	14,86145.5%	45.5%

Votes for listed candidates: 32,681
Election day: November 5, 2002
District map: Older district map (2002 to 2011)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 2002, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticDon BetzoldWon(incumbent)	Democratic	17,31853.0%	53.0%
RepublicanPhil Heir	Republican	15,36347.0%	47.0%

Votes for listed candidates: 40,854
Election day: November 7, 2000
District map: Older district map (1992 to 2001)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 2000, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticJane KrentzWon(incumbent)	Democratic	22,03753.9%	53.9%
RepublicanHoward Juni	Republican	18,81746.1%	46.1%

Votes for listed candidates: 33,138
Election day: November 5, 1996
District map: Older district map (1992 to 2001)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 1996, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticJane KrentzWon(incumbent)	Democratic	17,48252.8%	52.8%
RepublicanRay Vandeveer	Republican	15,65647.2%	47.2%

Votes for listed candidates: 33,430
Election day: November 3, 1992
District map: Older district map (1992 to 2001)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 1992, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticJane KrentzWon	Democratic	18,37555.0%	55.0%
RepublicanCraig Laing	Republican	13,05639.0%	39.0%
LibertarianWilliam Bohjanen	Libertarian	1,9996.0%	6.0%

Votes for listed candidates: 23,481
Election day: November 6, 1990
District map: Older district map (1982 to 1991)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 1990, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticDon FrankWon(incumbent)	Democratic	15,18964.7%	64.7%
RepublicanLazarus Gilles	Republican	8,29235.3%	35.3%

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 1986, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticDon FrankWon(incumbent)	Democratic	16,094100.0%	100.0%

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 1982, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticDon FrankWon(incumbent)	Democratic	21,661100.0%	100.0%

Votes for listed candidates: 35,488
Election day: November 4, 1980
District map: Older district map (1972 to 1981)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 1980, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticGerry SikorskiWon(incumbent)	Democratic	20,68258.3%	58.3%
RepublicanFran Duncan	Republican	14,80641.7%	41.7%

Votes for listed candidates: 31,866
Election day: November 2, 1976
District map: Older district map (1972 to 1981)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 1976, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticGerry SikorskiWon	Democratic	18,26657.3%	57.3%
RepublicanDavid R. Mills	Republican	13,60042.7%	42.7%

Votes for listed candidates: 22,822
Election day: November 7, 1972
District map: Older district map (1972 to 1981)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 1972, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
NonpartisanRobert J. BrownWon(incumbent)	Other	16,72873.3%	73.3%
NonpartisanGuy Stoddard	Other	6,09426.7%	26.7%

Votes for listed candidates: 17,569
Election day: November 3, 1970
District map: Older district map (1966 to 1971)

Minnesota Senate District 51, 1970 to 2022, 1970, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
NonpartisanKeith HughesWon(incumbent)	Other	11,83567.4%	67.4%
NonpartisanDavid Zabinski	Other	5,73432.6%	32.6%

1970 to 2022: State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse), retrieved Oct 28, 2026. Compiled by Carl Klarner (Harvard Dataverse) from official returns; not an official source

Last contest in this district on file: 2022.

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Election Wrld. (2026). Minnesota State Senate District 51, election results 1970 to 2022. https://www.electionwrld.com/mn/senate/51. Retrieved October 31, 2026.

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Sources

Sources: Census TIGERweb Legislative MapServer (120th CDs layer 0, 119th CDs layer 4, 2026 SLD upper layer 1 and lower layer 2) (US Census Bureau, public domain), retrieved Oct 28, 2026; Open Civic Data division identifiers (census_autogenerated us_sldl/us_sldu and openstates state files); also (sld-recent.json): Open Civic Data division identifiers (country-us) (CC0 (repository); also (sld-recent.json): CC0 1.0), retrieved Oct 28, 2026; Open States people (current) CSVs (CC0-1.0 (Open States people data)), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by Open States volunteers and staff (rosters from state legislature sites) from official returns, not an official source; State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse) (CC0 1.0), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by Carl Klarner (Harvard Dataverse) from official returns, not an official source.

District id: ocd-division/country:us/state:mn/sldu:51

DataState data (JSON)Sources: State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse)Data as of Oct 28, 2026