Minnesota Legislature

Legislators Past & Present Home

Name Search:

Vickerman, James A. "Jim"

Sessions Served

Other Information

Senate 1987-92 (District 28); Senate 1993-2010 (District 22)

Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served: Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, Watonwan

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 5/1/1931

Birth Place: Tracy, Minnesota

Birth County: Lyon

Birth Country: United States

Date of Death: 1/19/2021

Gender: Male

Religion: Methodist

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names: Jim

City of Residence (when first elected): Tracy

Occupation (when first elected): Farmer

EDUCATION

Rural School; Elementary School; One Room Schoolhouse
Tracy High School; Secondary; 1949

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

County Government: Murray County, Minnesota (Soil and Water Conservation Board, Supervisor, 12 years); 1969 to 1980

County Board/Commissioner: Murray County, Minnesota (County Commissioner); 1981 to 1986 [Elected]

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Wava Carlson (married on April 5, 1950)
Children: Six children: (one child was deceased while he was in office)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
Barbara Vickerman - Cousin-in-Law

GENERAL NOTES

Special Legislative Concerns: taxes, environment and natural resources, health and human services, agriculture, local and metro concerns, education, rural health, transportation, veterans, local government.

He grew up on a farm.

Religion provided by the Natural Resources Defense Council's State Directories 2005 and Politics in Minnesota the Directory, 2005-2006, and the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1987-88.

Click to view

Total Days Served: 8764

SESSIONS SERVED

86th Legislative Session (2009-2010) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 22

Elected: 11/7/2006

Residence: Tracy

Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/3/2011

Counties Represented: Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock

Occupation: Farmer/Former County Commissioner

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture and Veterans (Chair)
Environment and Natural Resources
Finance
Finance: Agriculture and Veterans Budget and Policy Division (Chair)
Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division
Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division: Energy Subdivision
Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division: Parks and Trails Legacy
State and Local Government Operations and Oversight
State and Local Government Operations and Oversight: Gaming

Click to view

85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 22

Elected: 11/7/2006

Residence: Tracy

Term of Office: 1/3/2007 to 1/3/2011

Counties Represented: Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock

Occupation: Farmer/Former County Commissioner

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture and Veterans (Chair)
Environment and Natural Resources
Finance [He was a member in 2008 only.]
Finance: Agriculture and Veterans Budget and Policy Division (Chair)
Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division
Finance: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division: Energy Subdivision
State and Local Government Operations and Oversight
State and Local Government Operations and Oversight: Gaming

Click to view

84th Legislative Session (2005-2006) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 22

Elected: 11/5/2002

Residence: Tracy

Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007

Counties Represented: Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock

Occupation: Farmer/Former County Commissioner

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2005 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Agriculture, Veterans and Gaming (Chair)
Finance: Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Budget Division
Finance: State Government Budget Division
Finance: Transportation Budget Division
Rules and Administration (Chair)
State and Local Government Operations
Transportation

Leadership Position: Majority Whip

Click to view

83rd Legislative Session (2003-2004)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 22

Elected: 11/5/2002

Residence: Tracy

Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007

Counties Represented: Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock

Occupation: Farmer/Former County Commissioner

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2003 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author 2003 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Agriculture, General Legislation and Veterans Affairs-2003/Agriculture, Veterans and Gaming-2004 (Chair) [He was the Chair in 2004 only.]
Finance: Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Budget Division [He was a member in 2004 only.]
Finance: State Government Budget Division
Rules and Administration
State and Local Government Operations (Chair)

Leadership Position: Majority Whip

Click to view

82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 22

Elected: 11/7/2000

Residence: Tracy

Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003

Counties Represented: Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Redwood, Watonwan

Occupation: Farmer/Former County Commissioner

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2001 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Agriculture, General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife
Finance
Finance: State Government, Economic Development and Judiciary Budget Division
Rules and Administration
State and Local Government Operations (Chair)

Click to view

81st Legislative Session (1999-2000) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 22

Elected: 11/5/1996

Residence: Tracy

Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/2/2001

Counties Represented: Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Redwood, Watonwan

Occupation: Farmer/Former County Commissioner

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture and Rural Development
Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources/Agriculture and Rural Development/State Government Finance: Environment and Agriculture Budget Division
Local and Metropolitan Government (Chair)
Taxes
Taxes/Local and Metropolitan Government: Property Taxes and Local Government Budget Division

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 22

Elected: 11/5/1996

Residence: Tracy

Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/2/2001

Counties Represented: Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Redwood, Watonwan

Occupation: Farmer/Former County Commissioner

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture and Rural Development
Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources/Agriculture and Rural Development/State Government Finance: Environment and Agriculture Budget Division
Local and Metropolitan Government (Chair)
Taxes
Taxes/Local and Metropolitan Government: Property Taxes and Local Government Budget Division

79th Legislative Session (1995-1996) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 22

Elected: 11/3/1992

Residence: Tracy

Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/6/1997

Counties Represented: Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Redwood, Watonwan

Occupation: Farmer/Former County Commissioner

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture and Rural Development
Health Care
Health Care: Health Care and Family Services Finance Division
Metropolitan and Local Government (Chair)
Metropolitan and Local Government: Intergovernmental Relations
Metropolitan and Local Government: Metropolitan Affairs
Rules and Administration
Transportation and Public Transit
Transportation and Public Transit: Transportation and Public Transit Finance Division

78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 22

Elected: 11/3/1992

Residence: Tracy

Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/6/1997

Counties Represented: Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Redwood, Watonwan

Occupation: Farmer/Former County Commissioner

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture and Rural Development
Health Care
Health Care: Health Care and Family Services Finance Division
Rules and Administration
Transportation and Public Transit
Transportation and Public Transit: Transportation and Public Transit Finance Division
Veterans and General Legislation (Chair)

77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 28

Elected: 11/6/1990

Residence: Tracy

Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993

Counties Represented: Cottonwood, Jackson, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Watonwan

Occupation: Farmer/Former County Commissioner

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture and Rural Development
Agriculture and Rural Development: Joint Agriculture and Rural Development/Environment and Natural Resources Ad Hoc
Agriculture and Rural Development: Rural Development
Finance
Finance: Health and Human Services Division
Health and Human Services
Health and Human Services: Health Care Access Division
Transportation
Transportation: Commercial Policy (Chair)
Transportation: Transportation Safety
Veterans and General Legislation

Click to view

76th Legislative Session (1989-1990) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 28

Elected: 11/4/1986

Residence: Tracy

Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/7/1991

Counties Represented: Cottonwood, Jackson, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Watonwan

Occupation: Farmer/Former County Commissioner

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture and Rural Development
Agriculture and Rural Development: Agriculture Resources
Agriculture and Rural Development: Rural Development
Health and Human Services
Health and Human Services: Health and Health Financing
Health and Human Services: Social Services and Government Administration
Local and Urban Government
Local and Urban Government: Land Use, Zoning and Planning
Transportation
Transportation: General Policy, Rural and Commercial
Veterans and Military Affairs

75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 28

Elected: 11/4/1986

Residence: Tracy

Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/7/1991

Counties Represented: Cottonwood, Jackson, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Watonwan

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Agriculture
Agriculture: Agriculture Products/Processing
Agriculture: Agriculture Resources
Health and Human Services
Health and Human Services: Health and Health Financing
Health and Human Services: Social Services and Government Administration
Local and Urban Government
Local and Urban Government: Land Use, Zoning and Planning
Transportation
Transportation: General Policy and Rural and Commercial

Click to view

OTHER INFORMATION

Senate Photos

The photos in this collection were scanned from the files of the Minnesota Senate Photographer with the generous help of the Minnesota Digital Library.

Senator James Vickerman, Senator Don Anderson, and Senator Robert Decker confer during a committee hearing, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Senator Jim Vickerman and Senator Tracy Beckman examine a bill on the Senate floor, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Senator Jim Vickerman listens in committee, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Senator Jim Vickerman speaks on the floor of the Senate, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Senator Jim Vickerman, Senator Don Anderson, and Senator Robert Decker discuss a bill during a committee hearing, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Senators Sam Solon, Pat Piper, Jim Vickerman, and Linda Berglin at a Health and Human Services Committee hearing, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Swearing-in ceremony in the Senate Chamber during the opening day of the 1987 legislative session, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Articles & Books About
McGaughey, Ryan. "'Gentleman Jim' remembered for representing all." Worthington Globe, January 27, 2021.

"Vickerman, James Murray "Jim"" Star Tribune, January 24, 2021, B17.

Gau, Deb. "Former MN State Sen. Jim Vickerman Dies at 89: Tracy Area Farmer and Legislator Remembered as Advocate for Rural MN." Marshall Independent, January 22, 2021.

The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.

Legislators Past & Present Home

Name Search:

Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, 645 State Office Building, Saint Paul, MN 55155