Minnesota will have a new capital - actually several - come May.
As part of the state's sesquicentennial marking 150 years of statehood, Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Wednesday named Bemidji, Detroit Lakes, New Ulm, Winona and Thief River Falls state "Capitals for a Day."
Those cities, each representing unique, geological regions of the state, will be spotlighted during the sesquicentennial year and will serve as honorary capitals during a weeklong celebration in mid-May.
Jane Leonard, executive director of the Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission, said that the festivities will highlight the state's geological diversity, with Bemidji representing the state's coniferous forests, Detroit Lakes the deciduous forest zone, New Ulm the state's prairie grasslands, Thief River Falls the tallgrass aspen parklands. Winona represents the driftless region -- the only part of the state never covered by glaciers.
Pawlenty said the Capital for a Day designation is largely ceremonial -- the communities won't get to pass their own laws, nor will the mayors get to stand in as governors -- but will highlight the state's history, culture, natural resources and stories.
The winning cities were the result of online votes cast in October and November and actually required what Leonard delicately referred to as a "do-over" after voting irregularities were discovered. After being swamped with computer users who cast multiple votes for their favorites, commission officials changed the system so that each user could cast only one set of votes for their five cities.
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That wasn't the first time, by the way, that irregularities surrounded the selection of a capital.