Editing Rochester, Minnesota (section)

==Government and politics==
{{See also|List of mayors of Rochester, Minnesota}}

[[File:OlmstedGovtCenter.JPG|thumb|left|Government Center Building]]
[[File:2009-0528-MN-Rochester-oldCH.jpg|thumb|Old City Hall]]

Rochester is governed by a [[mayor-council government]] with a seven-member [[city council]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rochestermn.gov/government/city-council| title=Rochester City Council| website=City of Rochester, Minnesota}}</ref> The current mayor is [[Kim Norton]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rochestermn.gov/government/office-of-the-mayor| title=Office of the Mayor| website=City of Rochester, Minnesota}}</ref> As of January 2021,<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.rochestermn.gov/government/city-council/council-members| title=Council Members| website=City of Rochester| access-date=January 9, 2019}}</ref> the city council comprises: Brooke Carlson, City Council President; Patrick Keane, 1st Ward; Mark Bransford, 2nd Ward; Nick Campion, 3rd Ward; Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick, 4th Ward; Shaun Palmer, 5th Ward; and Molly Dennis, 6th Ward.<ref>{{cite web| title=Council Members| url=http://www.rochestermn.gov/government/city-council/council-members| website=City of Rochester}}</ref>

All municipal elected offices in Rochester are non-partisan, as stated in the city's [[Municipal charter|charter]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Rochester Code of Ordinances - CHAPTER III. - ELECTIONS; ELECTED OFFICIALS; OFFICERS - SECTION 3.01. - (Elections; general provisions; ballots) | url=https://library.municode.com/mn/rochester/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTICH_CHIIIELELOFOF_S3.01ELGEPRBAx | access-date=January 25, 2021 | archive-date=January 30, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130071439/https://library.municode.com/mn/rochester/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTICH_CHIIIELELOFOF_S3.01ELGEPRBAx | url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:2020 United States Presidential Election in Rochester, Minnesota.svg|thumb|'''2020 Presidential Election by Precinct''' <br /> '''Biden:''' {{legend0|#b9d7ffff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#86b6f2ff|50–60%}}<br /> {{legend0|#4389e3ff|60–70%}} {{legend0|#1666cbff|70–80%}}<br />'''Trump:''' {{legend0|#f2b3beff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f90ff|50–60%}}]]

Rochester is the seat of [[Olmsted County, Minnesota|Olmsted County]], run by a seven-member elected county board, each representing district residents.<ref>{{cite web |title=List of Olmsted County Commissioners |url=https://www.co.olmsted.mn.us/boardofcommissioners/Pages/default.aspx |website=Olmsted County |access-date=December 6, 2017}}</ref> The County Board of Commissioners oversee county operations and address citizen concerns. When a commissioner is elected, they are elected to serve a 4-year term. When that term ends, the commissioner can run for re-election if they so desire. The County Attorney and the County Sheriff are also elected to 4-year terms and can run for re-election when the term expires if they choose. Each of these elected officials acts as the director for his/her office, and are accountable to the residents of Olmsted County.<ref>{{cite web |title=Elected Officials |url=https://www.co.olmsted.mn.us/yourgovernment/electedofficials/Pages/default.aspx |website=Olmsted County |access-date=December 6, 2017 |archive-date=December 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206204530/https://www.co.olmsted.mn.us/yourgovernment/electedofficials/Pages/default.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Rochester falls under the Olmsted County District Court within the Third Judicial District of the State of Minnesota.<ref>{{cite web |title=Minnesota District Courts |url=http://www.mncourts.gov/Find-Courts/Olmsted.aspx |website=State of Minnesota}}</ref>

The city includes parts of [[Minnesota Legislature|Minnesota state legislative]] districts 25 and 26.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rochestermn.gov/departments/cityclerk/officials/electedofficials.asp |title=Your Elected Officials |website=Rochester City Clerk |access-date=August 24, 2010 |archive-date=July 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705034719/https://www.rochestermn.gov/departments/cityclerk/officials/electedofficials.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]], District 25A is represented by [[Duane Quam]] [[Republican Party (United States)|(R)]], District 25B is represented by Andy Smith ([[DFL]]), District 26A is represented by [[Tina Liebling]] (DFL), and District 26B is represented by [[Nels Pierson]] (R). In the [[Minnesota Senate]], Rochester is represented by [[Liz Boldon]] ([[DFL]]) and [[Carla Nelson]], [[Republican Party (United States)|(R)]].  Rochester is located in [[Minnesota's 1st congressional district]], represented by [[Brad Finstad]], a member of the Republican Party.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3598486-republican-rep-brad-finstad-sworn-in-to-finish-hagedorns-house-term/ | title=Republican Rep. Brad Finstad sworn in to finish Hagedorn's House term | date=August 12, 2022 }}</ref>

Rochester continues to trend Democratic in local and federal elections which has resulted in Olmsted County also seeing a shifting electorate.<ref>{{cite news |title=As Olmsted County shifts left, political observers see battle brewing over control of a complicated electorate |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/05/07/olmsted-county-political-veterans-see-battle-brewing-over-control-of-a-complicated-electorate |access-date=18 May 2024 |work=MPR News |date=7 May 2024 |language=en}}</ref> In the [[2020 presidential election]] President [[Joe Biden]] obtained nearly 60% of the vote in the city, the highest vote total for a Democratic candidate in history.

{{Hidden begin|titlestyle=background:#ccccff|title=Presidential election results 1960–2024}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Precinct General Election Results<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/election-results/| website=Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State| title=Election Results| access-date=February 22, 2021| archive-date=February 22, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222230838/https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/election-results| url-status=live}}</ref>
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Third Party (United States)|Third parties]]
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2024 United States presidential election|2024]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|37.8% ''24,524''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''59.5%''' ''38,588''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.7% ''1,732''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2020 United States presidential election|2020]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.2% ''25,210''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''59.4%''' ''39,202''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.4% ''1,621''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2016 United States presidential election|2016]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|39.8% ''22,944''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''49.7%''' ''28,611''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|10.5% ''6,044''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2012 United States presidential election|2012]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|44.1% ''24,973''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.1%''' ''30,093''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.8% ''1,583''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2008 United States presidential election|2008]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|44.4% ''24,102''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.6%''' ''29,038''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.0% ''1,078''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[2004 United States presidential election|2004]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.0%''' ''24,711''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|48.7% ''24,041''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.3% ''644''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[2000 United States presidential election|2000]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''49.9%''' ''19,954''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|45.3% ''18,123''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|4.8% ''1,942''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[1996 United States presidential election|1996]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|44.2% ''15,055''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''46.2%''' ''15,716''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|9.6% ''3,286''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1992 United States presidential election|1992]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''41.8%''' ''15,734''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|35.5% ''13,348''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|22.7% ''8,548''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1988 United States presidential election|1988]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''57.9%''' ''17,997''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|42.1% ''13,064''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.0% ''0''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1984 United States presidential election|1984]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''62.1%''' ''18,168''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|37.9% ''11,066''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.0% ''0''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1980 United States presidential election|1980]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''54.0%''' ''14,155''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|35.2% ''9,210''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|10.8% ''2,840''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1976 United States presidential election|1976]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''62.5%''' ''16,064''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|35.8% ''9,196''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.7% ''445''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1972 United States presidential election|1972]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''69.7%''' ''15,882''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|28.2% ''6,419''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.1% ''496''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1968 United States presidential election|1968]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''55.3%''' ''11,294''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|42.0% ''8,571''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.7% ''559''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[1964 United States presidential election|1964]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|45.4% ''8,297''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''54.4%''' ''9,945''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.2% ''46''
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1960 United States presidential election|1960]]'''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''60.9%''' ''10,224''
|  style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|38.8% ''6,521''
|  style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.3% ''56''
|}
{{Hidden end}}

===US House of Representatives===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Congressional District
! Assumed office
!Party
|-
| [[Brad Finstad]]
| [[Minnesota's 1st Congressional District|1st District]]
| 2022
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican
|-
|}

===Minnesota Senate===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! District
! Assumed office
!Party
|-
| [[Carla Nelson]]
| District 24
| 2011
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican
|-
| [[Liz Boldon]]
| District 25
| 2023
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | DFL
|-
|}

===Minnesota House of Representatives===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! District
! Assumed office
! Party
|-
| [[Duane Quam]]
| District 24A
| 2011
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican
|-
| [[Tina Liebling]]
| District 24B
| 2005
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | DFL
|-
| [[Kim Hicks]]
| District 25A
| 2023
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | DFL
|-
| [[Andy Smith (Minnesota politician)|Andy Smith]]
| District 25B
| 2023
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | DFL
|-
|}