A Democrat and a Republican are vying for a seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives in a special election that could leave the chamber tied or give Republicans a slim majority. A Democrat won the seat by 30 percentage points last November, but a judge later ruled that he did not meet the residency requirements to run for the office.

The special election was held in a heavily Democratic district in the northern St. Paul suburbs of Roseville and Shoreview.

More than 13,000 people and nearly 47% of registered voters cast ballots in a special election for a suburban Minnesota House seat this week, far outpacing voter turnout in any other House special election over the last decade.

Democrat David Gottfried is poised to win the special election for a Twin Cities metro state House seat, locking House in a balance of power tie.

An existing power-sharing agreement reached last month will keep a Republican speaker in power in the state House.

Republicans in the Minnesota House lost a one-seat edge in the Capitol, where tensions over party dominance have simmered for weeks.

Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate David Gottfried has been elected in Minnesota’s special election for House District 40B, defeating Republican Paul Wikstrom 70% to 30%. Gottfried’s win splits control of the Minnesota House 67 to 67 between the DFL and Republicans. National Democrats celebrated his win.