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    Dornink, Gene

    Official Senate Web Page Sessions Served    Other Information

    Senate 2021-2022 (District 27); Senate 2023-Present (District 23)

    Party when first elected:  Republican

    Counties Served:  Dodge, Faribault, Freeborn, Mower, Steele, Waseca

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: ??/??/1967 (uncertain)
    Birth Place: ,
    Birth County:
    Birth Country:
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Male
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Hayfield
    Occupation (when first elected): Self-employed

    EDUCATION

    Austin Vocational School, Minnesota; Carpentry Degree

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Vicky
    Children: Twelve children: Eight girls, four boys
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was raised on a dairy farm.

    He was an unsuccessful candidate for District 27 of the Minnesota Senate in 2016.

    In July 2022, the Minnesota Supreme Court dismissed a petition that alleged that Sen. Dornink did not live in the district he represents. The petition claimed the senator lived in Hayfield which would make him ineligible to file in this district.

    Most recent term photo
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    Total Days Served: 1578

    SESSIONS SERVED

    94th Legislative Session (2025-2026) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/14/2025
    Body: Senate
    District: 23
    Elected: 11/8/2022
    Residence: Brownsdale
    Term of Office: 1/2/2023 to 1/3/2027
    Oath Date: 1/2/2023
    Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Mower, Steele, Waseca
    Occupation: Small business owner
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development
    • Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development: Subcommittee on Veterans
    • Housing and Homelessness Prevention [He served on this committee from 1/14/2025 to 2/3/2025.]
    • Jobs and Economic Development [He served on this committee from 1/14/2025 to 2/3/2025.]
    • Labor [He was co-chair from 1/14/2025 to 2/3/2025.]
    term photo
    Click to view

    93rd Legislative Session (2023-2024)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/2023
    Body: Senate
    District: 23
    Elected: 11/8/2022
    Residence: Brownsdale
    Term of Office: 1/2/2023 to 1/3/2027
    Oath Date: 1/3/2023
    Counties Represented: Faribault, Freeborn, Mower, Steele, Waseca
    Occupation: Small business owner
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture, Broadband and Rural Development
    • Elections
    • Labor
    term photo
    Click to view

    92nd Legislative Session (2021-2022)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/2021
    Body: Senate
    District: 27
    Elected: 11/3/2020
    Residence: Hayfield
    Term of Office: 1/4/2021 to 1/1/2023
    Oath Date: 1/5/2021
    Counties Represented: Dodge, Faribault, Freeborn, Mower, Steele
    Occupation: Self-employed
    Party: Republican
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:     2021 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Rural Development Finance and Policy
    • Capital Investment
    • Human Services Licensing Policy
    • Labor and Industry Policy
    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.

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