{{Short description|American politician (born 1957)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Kim Norton | image = 2021KimNorton.jpg | caption = Norton in 2021 | image_size = | order = 47th Mayor of Rochester | term_start = January 1, 2019 | term_end = | predecessor = Ardell Brede | office2 = Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives | prior_term2 = | term_start2 = January 3, 2007 | term_end2 = January 2, 2017 | constituency2 = District 25B (2013–2017)<br>District 29B (2007–2013) | preceded2 = Fran Bradley | succeeded2 = Duane Sauke | party = Democratic (DFL) | birth_place = Miami Beach, Florida | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|09|22}} | alma_mater = University of Nebraska–Lincoln (BS)<br>University of Minnesota (MA) | children = 4 }} '''Kim Norton''' (born September 22, 1957) is an American politician serving as the mayor of Rochester, Minnesota. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented District 25B, which consists mostly of the northern portion of the city of Rochester, in the Minnesota House of Representatives.<ref name="state1">{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=15263 |title=Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Norton, Kim |publisher=Leg.state.mn.us |date= |accessdate=2010-07-20}}</ref> She was elected to become the first female mayor of Rochester in 2018 and reelected in 2022.<ref name=Richert>{{cite news |last=Richert |first=Catharine |date=January 7, 2019 |title=Newly elected Rochester politicians promise more transparency |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/01/07/rochester-politicians-transparency |work=Minnesota Public Radio}}</ref>
==Early life, education, and career== Norton was born in Miami Beach, Florida at a military base. She earned a B.S. in Human Development and Special Education, specializing in Early Childhood Education, from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She also attended graduate school there, studying Deaf Education, Behavioral Impairments and Curriculum.<ref name="state1"/>
Norton served on several committees in the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning from 1998 to 2003 and, upon returning to Rochester, served on the Rochester School Board (as clerk in 2001, chair in 2005, and treasurer in 2006) prior to being elected to the House.
==Political career== [[File:KimNortonMPR.jpg|thumb|left|Norton being interviewed for ''All Things Considered'']] Norton first ran against incumbent Rep. Fran Bradley in 2004, an election she lost by 311 votes. She ran again in 2006, defeating Republican challenger Rich Decker by just 99 votes. In 2008, she easily won re-election against Republican challenger Jason Johnson.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20081104/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=29B |title=Election Reporting |access-date=2008-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928151111/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20081104/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=29B |archive-date=2011-09-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2010, she was re-elected over Republican challenger Mike Rolih.<ref name="electionresults.sos.state.mn.us">{{Cite web |url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20101102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&R=ALL&LD=29B |title=Election Reporting |access-date=2010-11-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313122422/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20101102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&R=ALL&LD=29B |archive-date=2012-03-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Norton stated in September 2015 that she would not seek re-election in the 2016 election<ref name="Twin Cities News">{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.twincities.com/politics/2015/09/10/dfl-rep-norton-first-legislative-democrat-announce-will-not-run-2016/|title=» DFL Rep. Norton will not run for re-election}}</ref> saying "I've made the decision, after a couple of years of consideration, that it's time for me to retire, so I am not going to run for re-election in 2016. It makes me a little sad, I will say, but at the same time it feels like the right thing to do and the right time to do it."<ref name="Post Bulletin">{{Cite web|url=https://www.postbulletin.com/news/politics/norton-won-t-seek-re-election-mulls-mayoral-bid/article_f1cde1c9-c104-52e9-ab3e-3d3451cfba50.html|title=Norton won't seek re-election, mulls mayoral bid|first=Heather J.|last=Carlson|website=PostBulletin.com|date=10 September 2015 }}</ref>
Norton said that following her announcement not to run for reelection to the Minnesota House of Representatives that she was "fed-up" with partisan politics, and since leaving the House, she has worked to stay out of party politics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.postbulletin.com/news/elections/city/party-recommendations-enter-nonpartisan-races/article_7281d3fc-d7e7-11e8-9686-d71cfedb0cb5.html |title=Party recommendations enter nonpartisan races |publisher=Post-Bulletin |date= 25 October 2018|accessdate=2018-11-09}}</ref> During her tenure as a state representative, she was widely viewed as a moderate, with a history of going against the DFL on some issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.postbulletin.com/opinion/our-view-norton-s-retirement-decision-speaks-volumes/article_c0963cba-adbd-54b1-b01a-0b48da8a4e7b.html |title=Norton's retirement decision speaks volumes |publisher=Post-Bulletin |date= 12 September 2015|accessdate=2018-11-09}}</ref>
==Election history== {{Election box begin | title=2018 Rochester Mayoral Election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/Results/MunicipalRaces/115?districtid=54880 |title=Election Reporting |publisher=Electionresults.sos.state.mn.us |date= |accessdate=2018-11-09}}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Nonpartisan candidate |candidate = '''Kim Norton''' |votes = 31810 |percentage = 67.73 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Nonpartisan candidate |candidate = Charlie O'Connell |votes = 14968 |percentage = 31.80 |change = - }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = N/A |candidate = Write-In |votes = 220 |percentage = 0.47 |change = - }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=2014 Minnesota State Representative- House 25B<ref name="electionresults.sos.state.mn.us"/>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate = '''Kim Norton''' (Incumbent) |votes = 9844 |percentage = 94.91 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = N/A |candidate = Write-In |votes = 528 |percentage = 5.09 |change = }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=2012 Minnesota State Representative- House 25B<ref name="Election Reporting">{{cite web |url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20081104/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=29B |title=Election Reporting |publisher=Electionresults.sos.state.mn.us |date= |accessdate=2010-07-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928151111/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20081104/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=29B |archive-date=2011-09-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate = '''Kim Norton''' (Incumbent) |votes = 11869 |percentage = 57.53 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = Melissa Valeriano |votes = 8725 |percentage = 42.29 |change = - }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=2010 Minnesota State Representative- House 29B<ref name="electionresults.sos.state.mn.us"/>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate = '''Kim Norton''' (Incumbent) |votes = 7820 |percentage = 53.34 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = Mike Rolih |votes = 6829 |percentage = 46.58 |change = - }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=2008 Minnesota State Representative- House 29B<ref name="Election Reporting"/>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate = '''Kim Norton''' |votes = 12142 |percentage = 61.50 |change = +11.27 }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = Jason Johnson |votes = 7553 |percentage = 38.26 |change = - }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=2006 Minnesota State Representative- House 29B<ref>{{cite web|url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20061107/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=29B |title=Election Reporting |publisher=Electionresults.sos.state.mn.us |accessdate=2010-07-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928151122/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20061107/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=29B |archivedate=2011-09-28 }}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate = '''Kim Norton''' |votes = 7761 |percentage = 50.23 |change = +1.10 }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = Rich Decker |votes = 7662 |percentage = 49.59 |change = - }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=2004 Minnesota State Representative- House 29B<ref>{{cite web|url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20041102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=29B |title=Election Reporting |publisher=Electionresults.sos.state.mn.us |date=2004-12-22 |accessdate=2010-07-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928151130/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20041102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=29B |archivedate=2011-09-28 }}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party |candidate = Kim Norton |votes = 9353 |percentage = 49.13 |change = - }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party of Minnesota |candidate = '''Fran Bradley''' |votes = 9664 |percentage = 50.77 |change = -16.87 }} {{Election box end}}
==Personal life== Norton has four children.<ref name="state1"/>
==See also== *List of mayors of Rochester, Minnesota
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == {{MN-legdb|15263}} * [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=38524 Project Votesmart Profile: Rep. Kim Norton]
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Ardell Brede}} {{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Rochester, Minnesota|years=2019–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Norton, Kim}} Category:Living people Category:1957 births Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century mayors of places in Minnesota Category:Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Category:Mayors of Rochester, Minnesota Category:Politicians from Rochester, Minnesota Category:Women state legislators in Minnesota Category:Women mayors of places in Minnesota Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature Category:University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni