Mary Kiffmeyer

Mary Kiffmeyer (born December 29, 1946) is an American politician. She served as Minnesota Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007 and now serves in the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, she represents District 30, which includes parts of Hennepin, Sherburne, and Wright counties.

Mary Kiffmeyer
President pro tempore of the Minnesota Senate
In office
January 7, 2019 – January 5, 2021
Preceded byWarren Limmer
Succeeded byDavid Tomassoni
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 30th district
Assumed office
January 8, 2013
Preceded byRedistricted
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 16B district
In office
January 6, 2009 – January 7, 2013
Preceded byMark Olson
Succeeded byRedistricted
20th Secretary of State of Minnesota
In office
January 4, 1999 – January 1, 2007
GovernorJesse Ventura
Tim Pawlenty
Preceded byJoan Growe
Succeeded byMark Ritchie
Personal details
Born (1946-12-29) December 29, 1946
Rugby, North Dakota, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Ralph Kiffmeyer
EducationSt. Gabriel's School of Nursing

Early life

The oldest of 14 children, Kiffmeyer was raised in Pierz, Minnesota.

Minnesota Secretary of State

Kiffmeyer was elected secretary of state in November 1998, and was sworn into office on January 4, 1999. She was re-elected in November 2002. She was defeated for re-election in November 2006 by Mark Ritchie.

During Kiffmeyer's tenure, Minnesota was the highest voter turnout state for all 8 years as determined by Curtis Ganz of the Center for Democracy. In 2004, Minnesota had 77.7% voter turnout, the highest in the state since 1960. She transformed the Secretary of State website allowing users to find and get directions to their local precincts, and see who their local candidates are in the upcoming election through the "My Ballot" feature..

During Kiffmeyer's tenure, she convinced the legislature to establish the Safe At Home Program for battered women or other battered victims which was unfunded by the Legislature until the following year.

Minnesota Legislature

Kiffmeyer was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2008 and re-elected in 2010, representing District 16B. In 2012, she was elected to the Minnesota Senate, representing District 30.[1] Kiffmeyer currently serves as the President Pro Tem of the Minnesota Senate.[2]

Electoral history
  • Minnesota Senate 30th district election, 2020
    • Mary Kiffmeyer (Republican), 34714 (67.3%)
    • Diane Nguyen (DFL), 16861 (32.7%)
    • Write-in, 45 (0.1%)
  • Minnesota Senate 30th district election, 2016
    • Mary Kiffmeyer (Republican), 30484 (71.7%)
    • P.J. LaCroix (DFL), 11979 (28.2%)
    • Write-in, 49 (0.1%)
  • Minnesota Senate 30th district election, 2012[3]
    • Mary Kiffmeyer (Republican), 25205 (62.4%)
    • Paul Perovich (DFL), 15125 (37.5%)
    • Write-in, 58 (0.1%)
  • Minnesota House of Representatives 16B district election, 2010[4]
    • Mary Kiffmeyer (Republican), 13,254 (70.4%)
    • Tom Heyd (DFL), 5,563 (29.5%)
    • Write-in, 18 (0.1%)
  • Minnesota House of Representatives 16B district election, 2008[5]
    • Mary Kiffmeyer (Republican), 15,863 (63.5%)
    • Steve Andrews (DFL), 8,996 (36.0%)
    • Write-in, 114 (0.5%)
  • Minnesota secretary of state election, 2006[6]
    • Mark Ritchie (DFL), 1,049,432 (49.1%)
    • Mary Kiffmeyer (Republican), 943,989 (44.2%)
    • Bruce Kennedy (For Independent Voters), 78,522 (3.7%)
    • Joel Spoonheim (Independence), 64,489 (3.0%)
    • Write-in, 1,211 (0.1%)
  • Minnesota secretary of state election, 2002[7]
    • Mary Kiffmeyer (Republican), 1,040,739 (47.6%)
    • Buck Humphrey (DFL), 974,045 (44.5%)
    • Dean Alger (Independence), 104,799 (4.8%)
    • Andrew Koebrick (Green), 67,404 (3.1%)
    • Write-in, 1,253 (0.1%)
  • Minnesota secretary of state election, 1998[8]
    • Mary Kiffmeyer (Republican), 928,576 (46.8%)
    • Edwina Garcia (DFL), 818,236 (41.2%)
    • Alan Shilepsky (Reform), 192,997 (9.7%)
    • Kenneth Iverson (Libertarian), 44,663 (2.2%)
    • Write-in, 1,742 (0.1%)

Personal life

Kiffmeyer lives near Big Lake, Minnesota with her husband, Ralph Kiffmeyer, a nurse anesthetist who served one term in the Minnesota House of Representatives. They have four children and 14 grandchildren.[9]

References
  1. "Minnesota Legislators Past & Present – Legislator Record – Kiffmeyer, Mary". Leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  2. "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  3. "Results for State Senator District 30". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
  4. "State Representative District: 16B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on May 17, 2012. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
  5. "All Races by Legislative District – Representative District: 16B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 17, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
  6. "Statewide Results for Secretary of State". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
  7. "Statewide Results for Secretary of State". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
  8. "Constitutional Offices and Constitutional Amendments". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
  9. "Mary Kiffmeyer". Minnesota Legislators Past and Present. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
Political offices
Preceded by
Joan Growe		 Secretary of State of Minnesota
1999–2007		 Succeeded by
Mark Ritchie
Minnesota House of Representatives
Preceded by
Mark Olson		 Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 16B district
2009–2013		 Redistricted
Minnesota Senate
Redistricted Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 30th district
2013–present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Warren Limmer		 President pro tempore of the Minnesota Senate
2019–present
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