On Friday, January 17, the Minnesota Supreme Court unanimously cancelled a special legislative election set for January 28. The special election schedule had been set by Governor Tim Walz, and allowed only one day for any independent or minor party candidate to collect 500 signatures. Minnesota Voters Alliance and Republican Party of Minnesota v Walz, A25-0017.

The basis for the decision is the election law that says the schedule for the special election cannot be set until 22 days after the start of the legislative session. The special election is needed because one of the winning Democrats, the victor of the election in House district 40B, was successfully challenged after the election on the grounds that he did not live in his district. After a trial court removed him, he decided not to appeal. That case was called Wikstrom v Johnson. Once it became clear that the seat was vacant, the Governor called an immediate special election, but now the State Supreme Court has cancelled that election.