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    Swanson, James C.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1969-72 (District 28B); House 1973-82 (District 37B); House 1983-84 (District 40A)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus

    Counties Served:  Hennepin

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 4/5/1934
    Birth Place: Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Birth County: Hennepin
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 8/2/2024
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Covenant
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Richfield
    Occupation (when first elected): Vocational Instructor, Dunwoody Institute

    EDUCATION

    Minnehaha Academy High School; Secondary; Graduate
    Dunwoody Industrial Institute, Minneapolis; Vocational-Technical School; Sheet Metal Course, Graduate
    University of Minnesota; B.S.; Industrial Arts Education
    University of Minnesota; Attended Graduate School; Education Administration, Masters Program

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota State Advisory Council for Vocational Education; 19?? to 19?? [Appointed]
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Educational Council; 19?? to 19?? [Appointed]
    School Board/Administration: Richfield, Minnesota (School Board, Director, 1965-68; Treasurer, 1967-68); 1965 to 1968 [Elected]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Elizabeth (married on August 11, 1956)
    Children: Two children: Victoria (Vicki) and Derrick
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

    He was a founder of Metropolitan State University.

    He is interred at Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

    He was a member of Bethlehem Covenant Church.

    Religion provided by the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1979-80 and the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 5845

    SESSIONS SERVED

    73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1983
    Body: House
    District: 40A
    Elected: 11/2/1982
    Residence: Richfield
    Term of Office: 1/3/1983 to 1/6/1985
    Oath Date: 1/4/1983
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Adult Coordinator, Hennepin Technical Centers
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Banking
    • Health and Welfare (Chair)

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1981
    Body: House
    District: 37B
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: Richfield
    Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
    Oath Date: 1/6/1981
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Adult Director; Administrator, Hennepin Technical Center, Katherine Curren Center
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Insurance
    • Health and Welfare (Chair)
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    term photo
    Click to view

    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: House
    District: 37B
    Elected: 11/7/1978
    Residence: Richfield
    Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/3/1979
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Adult Director, Hennepin Technical Center, South Campus, Night School/Journeyman Sheet Metal Worker
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Insurance
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs (Chair) [He was the Chair in 1979 only.]
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs: General Law and Veterans Affairs
    • Health and Welfare (Chair) [He was the Chair in 1980 only.]
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    Session Notes: His margin of victory over George Evans was only 160 votes. George Evans filed a lawsuit alleging there were errors in the counting of ballots. It's unclear what happened to the lawsuit but James C. Swanson served the entire term.

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
    Body: House
    District: 37B
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Richfield
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Evening School Coordinator; Adult Director, Hennepin Technical Center, South Campus/Journeyman Sheet Metal Worker
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Health and Welfare (Chair)
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    term photo
    Click to view

    69th Legislative Session (1975-1976)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1975
    Body: House
    District: 37B
    Elected: 11/5/1974
    Residence: Richfield
    Term of Office: 1/6/1975 to 1/2/1977
    Oath Date: 1/7/1975
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Evening School Coordinator/Adult Director; Hennepin Technical Center, South Campus
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Deinstitutionalization
    • Health and Welfare (Chair)
    • Higher Education
    • Rules and Legislative Administration

    68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/2/1973
    Body: House
    District: 37B
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Richfield
    Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/5/1975
    Oath Date: 1/2/1973
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Vocational Instructor, Hennepin Technical Centers
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Health and Welfare (Chair)
    • Higher Education
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    term photo
    Click to view

    67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1971
    Body: House
    District: 28B
    Elected: 11/3/1970
    Residence: Richfield
    Term of Office: 1/4/1971 to 12/31/1972
    Oath Date: 1/5/1971
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Vocational Instructor, Occupational Skill Training Center, Minneapolis
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • City Government
    • Financial Institutions
    • Health, Welfare and Corrections
    • Higher Education

    66th Legislative Session (1969-1970)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1969
    Body: House
    District: 28B
    Elected: 11/5/1968
    Residence: Richfield
    Term of Office: 1/6/1969 to 1/3/1971
    Oath Date: 1/7/1969
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Vocational Instructor, Dunwoody Institute
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
    Committees:
    • Cities of the Second and Third Class
    • Claims
    • Commerce and Economic Development
    • Health and Welfare
    • Higher Education
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    News Sources

    The Library maintains newspaper clippings on individual legislators during their terms. Clippings are available from 1973 to the present in a variety of formats: 1973-1999, microfiche available at the Library; 2000-2009, scanned in yearly compilations and digitally available on the legislative network; 2009-present, archived in a searchable database maintained by the Library and available on the legislative network.
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

    Photographs

    Portrait of James C. Swanson. c. 1981. Photo credit: Minnesota House of Representatives.

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