Democratic-Farmer-Labor and Republican leaders in the Minnesota House reached a committee power-sharing agreement this week, but they’re still working out how leadership will work with no clear majority after the Nov. 5 election.

In this year’s election, DFLers and Republicans both won 67 seats in the House, resulting in what may be the first even split in the Legislature since 1979. Recounts are scheduled in two races, but leaders are already negotiating power-sharing.

This week DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Republican Minority Leader Lisa Demuth announced plans to have a DFLer and Republican co-chair all committees. Membership would be evenly split between the parties, according to nonpartisan House Public Information Services.

Who will be speaker in divided House?

What remains undecided is who will be the House speaker if the current election results hold and there’s no majority when members take office in January. Republicans have picked Demuth as their speaker-designate and DFLers have picked the present speaker Hortman to continue in that role. But only one can hold the spot.

If the parties can’t reach an agreement by the beginning of the session on Jan. 14, the Minnesota Secretary of State would act as speaker of the House in a largely ceremonial capacity. That office is currently held by Steve Simon, a Democrat, though his power would be limited if he did preside over the House.

When then-Secretary of State Joan Growe served as speaker for a few days in January 1979, she only presided over sessions of the House and did not appoint members to any committees. The parties reached an agreement within the first week of the session, giving the Republicans the speaker’s seat and the Democrats three top committees — Appropriations, Rules and Taxes.

It’ll be an odd-numbered year at the Legislature, so lawmakers are required to pass a two-year state budget before the end of session in May. That means House Democrats and Republicans could risk a government shutdown after the June 30 constitutional deadline if they don’t find a way to cooperate.

Two recounts coming

The need for negotiations could end if Republicans pick up a one or two-seat majority in upcoming recounts.

There are two legislative election recounts scheduled this month in races that appear to have been won by Democrats.

Margins in one race are particularly close. Rep. Brad Tabke, DFL-Shakopee, defeated Republican challenger Aaron Paul by 14 votes. A recount in that race, House District 54A, is scheduled for Thursday at the Scott County Government Center starting at 8:30 a.m. and is open to the public.

Rep. Dan Wolgamott, DFL-St. Cloud also faces a recount after defeating Republican challenger Sue Ek by 191 votes. The recount in House Race 14B is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 25, at the Government Center in Elk River.

Regardless of the outcome of the recounts, this year’s election means the end of DFL control of state government.

For the past two years, Democrats held majorities in the Senate and House as well as the governor’s office — known as a “trifecta.” Minority Republicans campaigned on bring “balance” to state government after DFLers passed many of their priorities in the 2023 season.

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