Minnesota State Senate District 59

Tue, Nov 3 · Represented by Bobby Joe Champion Democratic · Member list as of Oct 28

Bobby Joe ChampionDemocratic · Incumbent14 years since first win

One candidate on the printed ballot.

Last election: Bobby Joe Champion (Democratic) was unopposed, 2022
On the 2026 ballot: 1 candidate

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Uncontested

One candidate on the printed ballot.

Bobby Joe ChampionIncumbentDemocratic

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: 23,205
Election day: November 8, 2022
District map: Older district map (2022)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 2022, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticBobby Joe ChampionWon(incumbent)	Democratic	22,80698.3%	98.3%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	3991.7%	1.7%

Votes for listed candidates: 41,201
Election day: November 3, 2020
District map: Older district map (2012 to 2021)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 2020, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticBobby Joe ChampionWon(incumbent)	Democratic	33,81082.1%	82.1%
RepublicanPaul Anderson(incumbent)	Republican	7,30017.7%	17.7%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	910.2%	0.2%

Votes for listed candidates: 35,508
Election day: November 8, 2016
District map: Older district map (2012 to 2021)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 2016, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticBobby Joe ChampionWon(incumbent)	Democratic	27,54177.6%	77.6%
RepublicanJennifer Carnahan	Republican	7,81422.0%	22.0%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	1530.4%	0.4%

Votes for listed candidates: 34,677
Election day: November 6, 2012
District map: Older district map (2012 to 2021)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 2012, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticBobby Joe ChampionWon	Democratic	28,44182.0%	82.0%
RepublicanJim Lilly	Republican	6,08217.5%	17.5%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	1540.4%	0.4%

Votes for listed candidates: 24,442
Election day: November 2, 2010
District map: Older district map (2002 to 2011)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 2010, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticLawrence J. PogemillerWon(incumbent)	Democratic	19,09378.1%	78.1%
RepublicanBarry Hickethier	Republican	5,26921.6%	21.6%
Scattered write-ins	Write-in	800.3%	0.3%

Votes for listed candidates: 25,922
Election day: November 7, 2006
District map: Older district map (2002 to 2011)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 2006, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticLawrence PogemillerWon(incumbent)	Democratic	19,84576.6%	76.6%
RepublicanSandra Burt	Republican	4,61917.8%	17.8%
IndependentRahn V. Workcuff	Independent	1,4585.6%	5.6%

Votes for listed candidates: 26,049
Election day: November 5, 2002
District map: Older district map (2002 to 2011)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 2002, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticLawrence PogemillerWon(incumbent)	Democratic	19,76675.9%	75.9%
RepublicanSteven Sumner	Republican	6,28324.1%	24.1%

Votes for listed candidates: 29,805
Election day: November 7, 2000
District map: Older district map (1992 to 2001)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 2000, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticLawrence PogemillerWon(incumbent)	Democratic	20,67369.4%	69.4%
RepublicanKristin J. Meyer	Republican	9,13230.6%	30.6%

Votes for listed candidates: 26,488
Election day: November 5, 1996
District map: Older district map (1992 to 2001)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 1996, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticLawrence PogemillerWon(incumbent)	Democratic	17,31965.4%	65.4%
RepublicanCatherine Carlson	Republican	6,78025.6%	25.6%
OtherDave Wiester	Other	2,3899.0%	9.0%

Votes for listed candidates: 30,910
Election day: November 3, 1992
District map: Older district map (1992 to 2001)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 1992, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticLawrence PogemillerWon(incumbent)	Democratic	20,63966.8%	66.8%
RepublicanMichael J. Amery	Republican	8,09226.2%	26.2%
OtherDale Wilkinson	Other	2,1797.0%	7.0%

Votes for listed candidates: 26,801
Election day: November 6, 1990
District map: Older district map (1982 to 1991)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 1990, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticAllan SpearWon(incumbent)	Democratic	19,89974.3%	74.3%
RepublicanJoe Holmes	Republican	6,90225.8%	25.8%

Votes for listed candidates: 16,859
Election day: November 4, 1986
District map: Older district map (1982 to 1991)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 1986, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticAllan SpearWon(incumbent)	Democratic	12,38173.4%	73.4%
RepublicanJoe Holmes	Republican	4,47826.6%	26.6%

Votes for listed candidates: 25,284
Election day: November 2, 1982
District map: Older district map (1982 to 1991)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 1982, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticAllan SpearWon(incumbent)	Democratic	15,92463.0%	63.0%
RepublicanNancy Gimmestad	Republican	9,36037.0%	37.0%

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 1980, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticLinda BerglinWon	Democratic	14,67480.9%	80.9%
RepublicanClyde Gould	Republican	3,46119.1%	19.1%

Votes for listed candidates: 18,369
Election day: November 2, 1976
District map: Older district map (1972 to 1981)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 1976, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
DemocraticStephen KeefeWon(incumbent)	Democratic	13,96776.0%	76.0%
RepublicanRobert A. Eichhorn	Republican	3,71420.2%	20.2%
OtherJim Carson	Other	6883.8%	3.8%

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 1972, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
NonpartisanStephen KeefeWon	Other	11,52661.8%	61.8%
NonpartisanJames Butler	Other	7,11438.2%	38.2%

Votes for listed candidates: 16,972
Election day: November 3, 1970
District map: Older district map (1966 to 1971)

Minnesota Senate District 59, 1970 to 2022, 1970, every candidate
Candidate	Party	Votes and share	Share
NonpartisanDick PalmerWon	Other	10,16259.9%	59.9%
NonpartisanFrancis Labrosse(incumbent)	Other	6,81040.1%	40.1%

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 59, election results 1970 to 2022. https://www.electionwrld.com/mn/senate/59. 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:59

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