Overview

• On July 17, a Becker County jury convicted Senator Nicole Mitchell of first-degree burglary and possessing burglary tools after three hours of deliberation.
• She faces a mandatory minimum of six months in jail and up to 20 years in prison, though no sentencing date has been scheduled.
• Attorney Dane DeKrey said Mitchell will tender her resignation by 5 p.m. on August 4 after wrapping up outstanding legislative duties and personal arrangements.
• Her departure will deadlock the Minnesota Senate at 33-33, requiring Governor Tim Walz to call a special election that could flip the chamber’s one-seat Democratic majority.
• Party leaders, including DFL Majority Leader Erin Murphy and GOP Minority Leader Mark Johnson, have underscored the conviction’s implications for legislative control.