MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Two state Senate districts are holding special elections to fill open seats.

The special elections Tuesday are in Senate District 46, which includes portions of Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center, and Senate District 61 in south Minneapolis.

The District 46 seat has been vacant since the death in June of Democratic Sen. Linda Scheid. The District 61 seat has been open since the August resignation of Democratic Sen. Linda Berglin, who took a job with Hennepin County.

Both seats are traditionally Democratic strongholds. In the Minneapolis district, Democratic state Rep. Jeff Hayden is facing off against the Independence Party’s Matt Brillhart, Green Party candidate Farheen Hakeem and Republican Bruce Lundeen. The District 46 candidates are Democrat Chris Eaton, Republican Cory Jensen and Tom Reynolds of the Independence Party.

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