Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
Skip Navigation Links
  • LRL Home
    • >
  • Legislators Past & Present
    • >
  • Member Record
    • Legislators Past & Present Home

    McDonald, Joe

    Official House Web Page Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 2011-2012 (District 19B); House 2013-2022 (District 29A); House 2023-Present (District 29A)

    Party when first elected:  Republican

    Counties Served:  Hennepin, Meeker, Wright

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 7/21/1966
    Birth Place: Watertown, Minnesota
    Birth County: Carver
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Catholic
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Delano
    Occupation (when first elected): Master Photographer/Owner

    EDUCATION

    Hennepin Technical College; A.A.; Photography
    Masters Degree; Photography, 2003; Craftsman Degree, 2008

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    School Board/Administration: Delano, Minnesota (School Board Member); 19?? to ?
    Municipal Council/Aldermen: Delano, Minnesota (City Council); 2001 to 2006
    Municipal Mayor: Delano, Minnesota (City Mayor); 2007 to 2010

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Rachel
    Children: Three children: Alex, Jacob, and Aiden (sons)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
    Kenneth James McDonald  - Father

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was of Irish ancestry.

    He was raised in Watertown, Minnesota.

    He was a member of St. Peter's Catholic Church, in Delano, Minnesota.

    Religion provided by his 2010 campaign website.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 5232

    SESSIONS SERVED

    94th Legislative Session (2025-2026)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/14/2025
    Body: House
    District: 29A
    Elected: 11/5/2024
    Residence: Delano
    Term of Office: 1/6/2025 to 1/3/2027
    Oath Date: 1/12/2025
    Counties Represented: Hennepin, Meeker, Wright
    Occupation: Master photographer/owner
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Children and Families Finance and Policy Minutes
    • Elections Finance and Government Operations Minutes
    • Legacy Finance (Chair) Minutes [He was chair until 3/17/2025, when he became co-chair.]
    term photo
    Click to view

    93rd Legislative Session (2023-2024)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/2023
    Body: House
    District: 29A
    Elected: 11/8/2022
    Residence: Delano
    Term of Office: 1/2/2023 to 1/5/2025
    Oath Date: 1/3/2023
    Counties Represented: Hennepin, Meeker, Wright
    Occupation: Master photographer/owner
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Higher Education Finance and Policy Minutes
    • Labor and Industry Finance and Policy Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    92nd Legislative Session (2021-2022)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/2021
    Body: House
    District: 29A
    Elected: 11/3/2020
    Residence: Delano
    Term of Office: 1/4/2021 to 1/1/2023
    Oath Date: 1/5/2021
    Counties Represented: Hennepin, Wright
    Occupation: Master Photographer/Owner
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Industrial Education and Economic Development Finance and Policy Minutes
    • Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Minutes
    • Taxes Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    91st Legislative Session (2019-2020)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/2019
    Body: House
    District: 29A
    Elected: 11/6/2018
    Residence: Delano
    Term of Office: 1/7/2019 to 1/3/2021
    Oath Date: 1/8/2019
    Counties Represented: Hennepin, Wright
    Occupation: Master Photographer/Owner
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Government Operations: Subcommittee on Local Government Minutes
    • Rules and Legislative Administration: Subcommittee on Legislative Process Reform Minutes
    • Taxes Minutes
    • Taxes: Property and Local Tax Division Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    90th Legislative Session (2017-2018)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/2017
    Body: House
    District: 29A
    Elected: 11/8/2016
    Residence: Delano
    Term of Office: 1/2/2017 to 1/6/2019
    Oath Date: 1/3/2017
    Counties Represented: Hennepin, Wright
    Occupation: Master Photographer/Owner
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Health & Human Services Reform Minutes
    • Health & Human Services Reform: Subcommittee on Aging & Long-Term Care Minutes
    • Taxes Minutes
    • Transportation & Regional Governance Policy Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    89th Legislative Session (2015-2016)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/2015
    Body: House
    District: 29A
    Elected: 11/4/2014
    Residence: Delano
    Term of Office: 1/5/2015 to 1/1/2017
    Oath Date: 1/6/2015
    Counties Represented: Hennepin, Wright
    Occupation: Master Photographer/Owner
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Health and Human Services Finance Minutes
    • Higher Education Policy & Finance Minutes
    • Taxes Minutes
    • Taxes: Property Tax & Local Government Finance Division Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    88th Legislative Session (2013-2014)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/2013
    Body: House
    District: 29A
    Elected: 11/6/2012
    Residence: Delano
    Term of Office: 1/7/2013 to 1/4/2015
    Oath Date: 1/8/2013
    Counties Represented: Hennepin, Wright
    Occupation: Master Photographer/Owner
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    term photo
    Click to view

    87th Legislative Session (2011-2012)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/2011
    Body: House
    District: 19B
    Elected: 11/2/2010
    Residence: Delano
    Term of Office: 1/3/2011 to 1/6/2013
    Oath Date: 1/4/2011
    Counties Represented: Hennepin, Wright
    Occupation: Master Photographer/Owner
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Health and Human Services Finance Minutes
    • Health and Human Services Reform Minutes
    • Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Minutes
    • Taxes: Property and Local Tax Division Minutes
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    Session Interviews

    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


    Contact this legislator

    Legislators Past & Present Home