Gov. Mark Dayton is encouraging all eligible Minnesotans to apply for one of the eight current vacancies on the legislative salary council, according to a press release. The council was created upon Minnesota’s voters passing the Constitutional amendment, and this citizens-only council will prescribe salaries for legislators.

Dayton will appoint eight Minnesotans to this council, which will include one appointee from each congressional district. Four members must be Democrats and four members must be Republicans. Additionally, none of the members of the council may be:

A current or former legislator, or the spouse of a current legislator

A current or former lobbyist registered under Minnesota law

A current employee of the Legislature

A current or former judge

A current or former governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state or state auditor

To apply, submit an application, cover letter and resume through the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website. Due to the statutory requirement that the governor must appoint four Democrats and four Republicans, the office is asking that applicants disclose their party affiliation on the application form. The deadline to apply and receive full consideration is Dec. 5. For inquiries concerning the application process, please contact Andrew Olson, director of appointments, at andrew.c.olson@state.mn.us.

The council consists of eight members appointed by the governor and eight by the chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. By March 31 of each odd-numbered year, the council will prescribe salaries for legislators to take effect July 1 of that year. In setting salaries, the council will take into account any other legislative compensation provided to the legislators by the state and the most recent budget forecast.