Minnesota’s house Democrats are continuing their now three-week boycott of the 2025 legislative session after the state’s supreme court ruled that Republicans are one seat short of having a quorum to take control of the chamber.

Republicans currently have a one-seat, 67-66 edge in the house after a judge ruled in December that a Democrat elected to a Twin Cities-area seat was ineligible to serve because he didn’t live in the district. Both parties won 67 seats in November.

House Democrats have boycotted the first three weeks of the legislative session to deny Republicans a quorum in the 134-seat chamber and to block them from taking control. Republicans argued they had a quorum because they hold a majority of the 133 seats currently held by elected representatives, and proceeded to elect a speaker and conduct business.

Earlier this month, they posted a series of “missing persons” photos of their Democratic colleagues on X, and accused them of playing “hide and seek.”

But on Friday, the state supreme court sided with the Democrats, ruling that 68 house members — a majority of the 134-seat chamber — must be present to establish a quorum and conduct business, essentially nullifying Republican efforts over the last few weeks.

“Vacancies do not reduce the number required for a majority of each house to constitute a quorum,” the court’s order said. “By statute, the total number of seats in the Minnesota House of Representatives is 134 seats.”

An election to fill the vacant house seat, initially scheduled for late January, has since been pushed back to March. The seat is in a reliably Democratic district. Democrats are calling for their Republican colleagues to continue negotiating a power-sharing agreement.

The Democrats’ delegation from Rochester accused Republicans of wasting “time and taxpayer dollars on fake Floor Sessions and committee hearings.”

Republicans on Monday had hoped to introduce a motion to require absent Democrats to forego their salaries until they return to the Capitol, but Democratic secretary of state Steve Simon — who is required to serve as presiding officer — adjourned the chamber before they could do so, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Republican leader Lisa Demuth said in a statement that “it’s time for the Democrats’ walkout to end and for the legislature to get on with its work.”

The Minnesota legislative session is scheduled to run into late May. At the very least, lawmakers are tasked with passing a two-year budget and closing a projected $5 billion budget deficit.