Mary K Kunesh
Minnesota State Senator, District 39 since 2020. Ran in 4 elections between 2016 and 2022, winning 4. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2030.
Minnesota State Senator, District 39Born 1960Librarian
- In office
- 6 yrs
- Since 2020
- Bills became law
- 1
- 107 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.0%
- Chamber median 0.0%
- With party
- 99%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +44.4
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2030
- Nov 5, 2030
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Education Finance · chair
- Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development
- Education Policy
- Environment, Climate and Legacy
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Children and families and Children, Youth and Families Department · Became law May 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Kunesh sits in the Minnesota State Senate
Kunesh is closer to the center than 43% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Ann Johnson Stewart, Jim Carlson, Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:53 PM ET
With Kunesh’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats99%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills10%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Minnesota State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Kunesh’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Kunesh | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2026 | HF 2484: Bonding bill; spending authorized to acquire and better land and buildings and for other… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 50–17 |
| May 17, 2026 | SF 2077: Omnibus Outdoor Heritage Fund, Legacy and Lands bill | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 41–26 |
| May 17, 2026 | SF 4612: Omnibus Health and Human Services supplemental appropriations | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 35–32 |
| May 17, 2026 | SF 4401: Omnibus Cannabis bill | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 35–32 |
| May 16, 2026 | HF 3900: Permanent school fund investment, management, and distribution policy modified; and… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 38–29 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Kunesh was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Minnesota State Senate, District 39 | Won | D+44.4 | D+35.5 | +8.9 |
| 2022 | Minnesota State Senate, District 39 | Won | D+33.1 | D+38.3 | −5.2 |
| 2020 | Minnesota State Senate, District 41 | Won | D+33.9 | D+26.5 | +7.4 |
| 2018 | Minnesota House of Representatives, HD-41B | Won | D+31.9 | D+32.8 | −0.9 |
| 2016 | Minnesota House of Representatives, HD-41B | Won | D+26.7 | D+32.8 | −6.1 |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Minnesota Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $48.8K
- Spent
- $32.1K
- Cash
- $17.1K
Source: Minnesota Campaign Finance Board filings through Oct 19, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 3:53 AM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| Kunesh, Mary Senate Committee State | Active |
Source: Minnesota Campaign Finance Board filings through Oct 19, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 3:53 AM ET
Seats Kunesh has held
- Minnesota State Senate, District 39 · since 2022
- Minnesota State Senate, District 41 · since 2020
- Minnesota House of Representatives, District 41B · 2016–2020
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Kunesh has run against
- Pam Wolf (R) · 2026 election, won
- Lucia Marina Vogel (R) · 2020 election, won
- Tim Utz (I) · 2018 election, won
- Camden Pike (R) · 2016 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Minnesota Secretary of State (unofficial)
How we know Kunesh
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/2795e0ed-3a02-4afc-8836-f5c3c067139c
- Wikidata Q28124447
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET