| As in the national government of the | | | | In addition to the standard city and |
| United States, power in Minnesota is | | | | county levels of government found in the |
| divided into three main branches: | | | | United States, Minnesota also has other |
| Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. | | | | entities that provide governmental |
| The executive branch is headed by the | | | | oversight and planning. Some actions in |
| governor, currently Tim Pawlenty, a | | | | the Twin Cities metropolitan area are |
| Republican, whose term began 6 January | | | | coordinated by the Metropolitan Council, |
| 2003. The current lieutenant governor of | | | | and many lakes and rivers are overseen |
| Minnesota is Carol Molnau. Molnau also | | | | by watershed districts and soil and |
| currently serves as the head of the | | | | water conservation districts. |
| Minnesota Department of Transportation. | | | | Politics Minnesota is known for active |
| Both the governor and lieutenant | | | | yet quirky politics, with populism being |
| governor have four-year terms. The | | | | a longstanding force among all of the |
| governor has a cabinet consisting of the | | | | political parties that call the state |
| leaders of various government agencies | | | | home. Minnesota politics include such |
| in the state, called commissioners. The | | | | oddities as a professional wrestler |
| full list of governors, and the dates | | | | turned governor and a protester turned |
| they took office, is available at List | | | | crowd-surfing mayor not to mention one |
| of Governors of Minnesota. The other | | | | of the all-time most liberal senators, |
| constitutional offices are secretary of | | | | Paul Wellstone. 77.3% of eligible |
| state, attorney general and state | | | | Minnesotans voted in the 2004 U.S. |
| auditor. | | | | presidential election, the highest of |
| The Minnesota Legislature is a bicameral | | | | any U.S. state. |
| body consisting of the Senate and the | | | | Political conservatism is less strongly |
| House of Representatives. The state has | | | | linked to church attendance in most of |
| 67 districts, each covering about 60,000 | | | | Minnesota than in other parts of the |
| people. Each district has one senator | | | | country, perhaps a reflection of the |
| and two representatives (each district | | | | strong mainline Protestant and Roman |
| being divided into A and B subsections). | | | | Catholic following, though in the |
| Senators serve for four years, and | | | | elections of 2000, 2002, and 2004 it was |
| representatives serve for two years. In | | | | shown that this trend was in the process |
| the November 2004 election, the | | | | of changing in some Twin Cities voting |
| Republican Party retained control of the | | | | precincts. |
| Minnesota House of Representatives by a | | | | As a result of its liberal and populist |
| single seat (68-66), having lost a total | | | | political culture throughout much of the |
| of 13 seats. The Minnesota Senate is | | | | latter half of the 20th century, |
| controlled by the Minnesota | | | | Minnesota has voted for Democrats for |
| Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL). | | | | president longer than any other state |
| After picking up two seats in local | | | | (the District of Columbia has voted for |
| special elections on 16 November 2005, | | | | a Democrat in every election since |
| and 27 December, 2005, the DFL controls | | | | 1964), since 1976. Minnesota and the |
| the senate (38-29). There was one | | | | District of Columbia were the only |
| Independence Party state senator, former | | | | electoral votes not won by incumbent |
| Republican Sheila Kiscaden | | | | Republican president Ronald Reagan, |
| (IP-Rochester) who caucused with the | | | | voting instead for former Vice President |
| DFL. She officially joined the party in | | | | of the United States and former U.S. |
| January 2006, bringing their lead to | | | | Senator Walter Mondale, a Minnesota |
| eight seats. | | | | native. It should be noted that a |
| Minnesota's court system has three | | | | Minnesotan ran on the Democratic ticket |
| levels: Trial courts. The state is split | | | | as either President or Vice President in |
| into 10 judicial districts, with 257 | | | | the 1964, 1968, 1976, 1980 and 1984. In |
| judges. | | | | 2004, John Kerry narrowly won the |
| Most state cases start in the trial | | | | state's 10 electoral votes by a margin |
| courts. | | | | of three percentage points with 51.1% of |
| Minnesota Court of Appeals. This body | | | | the vote. Republican strength is |
| hears appeals on cases tried in the | | | | greatest in southern Minnesota and the |
| trial courts. There are 16 judges, who | | | | suburbs of Minneapolis, especially in |
| divide into three-judge panels to hear | | | | the area west of the city, and in |
| appeals in courts across the state. | | | | developing outer suburban communities. |
| Minnesota Supreme Court. The seven | | | | Democrats hold tremendous strength in |
| justices on the Supreme Court hear | | | | Minneapolis/ St. Paul proper and in the |
| appeals from the Court of Appeals, the | | | | Iron Range of northeastern Minnesota, |
| Tax Court, and the Worker's Compensation | | | | including Duluth. |
| Court. The court automatically reviews | | | | The state also enjoys a strong and |
| first-degree murder convictions, and | | | | active third party movement. The Reform |
| settles disputes over legislative | | | | Party was able to elect former mayor of |
| elections. | | | | Brooklyn Park, and former wrestling |
| The state has two special courts created | | | | superstar Jesse Ventura to the |
| by state law as executive-branch | | | | governorship in 1998; however Ventura |
| agencies: The Tax Court deals with | | | | left the Reform Party in 2000 when Pat |
| non-criminal tax cases across the state. | | | | Buchanan took control. Ventura |
| It has three judges appointed by the | | | | maintained close ties to the |
| governor to six-year terms, following | | | | Independence Party, but chose not to |
| approval from the state Senate The | | | | seek reelection. In 2002 the |
| Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals | | | | Independence Party ran former democratic |
| deals with cases involving worker | | | | congressman Tim Penny in an unsuccessful |
| injuries referred to it on appeal, or | | | | bid for the governorship. |
| transferred from district court. It has | | | | Penny earned about 16% of the vote. |
| five judges appointed by the governor to | | | | The state's Green Party has elected |
| six-year terms, following approval from | | | | several city council members and other |
| the state Senate Federal cases are heard | | | | local office-holders in Duluth, |
| in the United States District Court for | | | | Minneapolis and Winona, and has made |
| the District of Minnesota, which holds | | | | strong runs for state legislature during |
| court in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, | | | | the past two election cycles. In 2000, |
| and Fergus Falls. Minnesota is part of | | | | Green Party candidate Ralph Nader |
| the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, | | | | received just over 5% of the |
| which is based in St. Louis, Missouri. | | | | presidential votes cast, gaining Major |
| Appeals beyond this level go to the U.S. | | | | Party Status for the Green Party of |
| Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.. | | | | Minnesota. |