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    Klaus, Walter K.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1957-62 (District 20); House 1963-66 (District 13); House 1967-70 (District 6A); House 1973-74 (District 25A)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus

    Counties Served:  Dakota, Goodhue

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 4/19/1912
    Birth Place: Empire Township, Minnesota
    Birth County: Dakota
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 11/16/2012
    Gender: Male
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Farmington
    Occupation (when first elected): Farmer

    EDUCATION

    Farmington High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1928
    Hamline University; B.A.; English
    University of Minnesota; Attended Graduate School;

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Virginia (married in 1968)
    Children: One child (daughter)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was a member of the Republican Party.

    "He lost his first statewide political race, finishing third out of four candidates in a Senate contest." (Farmington Independent, November 20, 2012)

    He "was a Minnesota Representative for 14 years and an active participant in redistricting discussions for much longer than that. Both in the House chamber and behind the scenes he helped shape Minnesota politics for decades." (Farmington Independent, November 20, 2012)

    His funeral services were held November 24, 2012 at Faith United Methodist Church in Farmington.

    Most recent term photo
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    Total Days Served: 5845

    SESSIONS SERVED

    68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/2/1973
    Body: House
    District: 25A
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Farmington
    Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/5/1975
    Oath Date: 1/2/1973
    Counties Represented: Dakota, Goodhue
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: State Departments Division
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Judiciary
    • Labor-Management Relations
    term photo
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    66th Legislative Session (1969-1970)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1969
    Body: House
    District: 06A
    Elected: 11/5/1968
    Residence: Farmington
    Term of Office: 1/6/1969 to 1/3/1971
    Oath Date: 1/7/1969
    Counties Represented: Dakota, Goodhue
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Claims (Chair)
    • Elections and Reapportionment
    • Governmental Operations
    • Legislative Administration and Rules
    • Metropolitan and Urban Affairs
    term photo
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    65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1967
    Body: House
    District: 06A
    Elected: 11/8/1966
    Residence: Farmington
    Term of Office: 1/2/1967 to 1/5/1969
    Oath Date: 1/3/1967
    Counties Represented: Dakota, Goodhue
    Occupation: Farmer/Teacher
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Civil Administration
    • Claims (Chair)
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Metropolitan and Urban Affairs
    • Rules

    64th Legislative Session (1965-1966)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1965
    Body: House
    District: 13
    Elected: 11/3/1964
    Residence: Farmington
    Term of Office: 1/4/1965 to 1/1/1967
    Oath Date: 1/5/1965
    Counties Represented: Dakota
    Occupation: Public Service
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Claims (Chair)
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Law Enforcement and Juvenile Delinquency
    • Metropolitan and Urban Affairs
    • Reapportionment

    63rd Legislative Session (1963-1964)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1963
    Body: House
    District: 13
    Elected: 11/6/1962
    Residence: Farmington
    Term of Office: 1/7/1963 to 1/3/1965
    Oath Date: 1/8/1963
    Counties Represented: Dakota
    Occupation: Public Service
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Claims (Chair)
    • Cooperatives and Marketing
    • General Legislation
    • Metropolitan and Urban Affairs
    term photo
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    62nd Legislative Session (1961-1962)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1961
    Body: House
    District: 20
    Elected: 11/8/1960
    Residence: Farmington
    Term of Office: 1/2/1961 to 1/6/1963
    Oath Date: 1/3/1961
    Counties Represented: Dakota
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Appropriations
    • Elections
    • General Legislation
    • University

    61st Legislative Session (1959-1960)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1959
    Body: House
    District: 20
    Elected: 11/4/1958
    Residence: Farmington
    Term of Office: 1/5/1959 to 1/1/1961
    Oath Date: 1/6/1959
    Counties Represented: Dakota
    Occupation: Farmer/Teacher
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Elections
    • Engrossment and Enrollment
    • General Legislation
    • University

    60th Legislative Session (1957-1958)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1957
    Body: House
    District: 20
    Elected: 11/6/1956
    Residence: Farmington
    Term of Office: 1/7/1957 to 1/4/1959
    Oath Date: 1/8/1957
    Counties Represented: Dakota
    Occupation: Farmer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Elections
    • General Legislation
    • Public Institutions
    • Reapportionment
    Session Notes: His margin of victory over incumbent Frank Gallagher was only 40 votes; it is unclear whether a recount occurred.
    term photo
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    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    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.

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