Gov. Tim Walz issued a writ of special election to fill the vacant seat in House District 40B following the resignation of Representative-elect Curtis Johnson after a district judge ruled the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) candidate did not meet the residency requirement to serve the district. The special election will be held on Tuesday, March 11. If necessary, a special primary election will be held on Tuesday, February 25. The Minnesota Supreme Court canceled a previously scheduled date ruling Gov. Walz scheduled the election too soon. The decision left Republicans with a one-seat advantage in the chamber over the DFL, who were boycotting the session as a result. Wednesday evening DFL and Republican caucus leadership reached an agreement to organize the body. With a quorum for the first time, the House officially began the 2025-26 session Thursday, February 6, after a more than three-week DFL boycott and elected Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth as speaker.