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Election day is a week away, and most voters are ready for it to be over. And once all the contests are decided, they begin to wonder how the newly elected leaders can move forward when there are still so many divisions. Minnesota’s 2025 legislative majority—whether DFL, Republican, or a mix of both—has a unique opportunity to lead and show that bipartisanship is possible.

We sit on the board of Majority in the Middle, a grassroots organization that advocates for less acrimony in politics. And as former legislators, we know Minnesotans want the Legislature to work together. But arguments continue among party leaders and some voters that a single-party sweep of the agenda is the only way to get things done. Others believe divided government will lead to stalemate.

A truly collaborative session is less about ideology and more about process. With a few procedural changes, agreement can be reached without anyone compromising deeply held values.

When all parties come to the table and participate in good faith, leadership can uncover issues that all committees can agree on and introduce them as standalone bills. Controversial issues can still fill omnibus bills, which tend to transfer party votes. This way, more bills that have unanimous or overwhelming bipartisan support can be passed while the entire majority agenda is achieved.

Individual members are already working across the aisle, so there should be plenty of topics to choose from. One of the ways the Middle Majority encourages bipartisanship is by pursuing bills and strengthening results. Our 2024 State of Bipartisanship report showed that in the 2023-24 biennium, all but two of 134 House members sponsored or co-sponsored bills with members of both parties, and all 67 members of the Senate sponsored or co-sponsored bills. With members of both parties. There are bipartisan bills available, and with a change in the process, leadership can build on all of this common ground.

Every legislative session is short by design. There’s a lot to accomplish, and restructuring invoices this way may take a little more effort. But in addition to complying with Minnesota’s single-issue rule, this realignment could show the public that common ground exists and calls for more bipartisanship are being heard.