2026 Midterms State GuideMinnesota
Hold on to your lutefisk and loons.
- PrimaryStatewideAugust 11This date has passed.
- Election DayGeneralNov. 3
Updated
Hi! It’s me, Shadrach. Apparently, I’m your civic guide today. If you’ve been complaining about how things are going (and I’ve heard you, the walls are thin), this guide will help you feel informed and able to vote in this year’s midterms. Now, hold on to your lutefisk and loons, and let’s get into it.
Minnesota at a glance
Minnesota votes on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, for governor, U.S. Senate, all 8 U.S. House seats and one statewide ballot measure.
- Election Day
- Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
- Voter registration
- Oct. 13: Deadline to pre-register to vote
- Governor
- 3 candidates
- U.S. Senate
- 4 candidates
- U.S. House
- 8 seats
- Statewide ballot measures
- 1
Your to-do list
0 of 3 doneImportant dates
- Sept. 18Ballots must be sent to military and overseas voters by this date This date has passed.
- Oct. 13Deadline to pre-register to vote
- Nov. 2Deadline to request an absentee ballot
- Nov. 3Election Day
What’s at stake
Minnesotans are standouts among the nation for what is top of mind. While most American voters are worrying about their wallets, the economy ranked third in Minnesota’s eyes. According to a 2026 Emerson poll, 28% of voters felt threats to democracy were the top issue facing the state, followed by immigration (17%) and the economy (16%). The purple state is coming down from a year of ICE and immigration related headlines, and its political landscape is just as divisive. While Dems seem poised to snag the Governor and Senate seats, the House is split evenly, and whoever wins will inherit a state that has been politically on edge all year.
Who’s on your ballot
Tap a race to see the candidates.
Minnesota is choosing a governor
See whose priorities line up with yours
Here are the top priorities each candidate lists, in their own words. Pick the 3 that matter most to you. Names stay hidden until you see your results.
0 of 3 picked
- Top priorities
Amy KlobucharDemocrat- Lowering costs for Minnesotans on things like housing, child care, and health care.
- Making government accountable and rooting out fraud to keep government innovative, effective, and accountable.
- Preparing Minnesota’s workforce for the future by building real on-ramps to good jobs and doubling apprenticeships and workforce training in the trades, health care, public safety, and emerging industries
- Top prioritiesLisa DemuthRepublican
- Working to cut income taxes for families by reducing the lowest two tax brackets, dialing back expensive car tab fees that were raised by Democrats, and ending taxes on social security benefits for seniors.
- Ending the culture of fraud and corruption in state government and demanding accountability from state workers responsible for managing the state programs that have been abused by fraudsters.
- Supporting first responders by investing in public safety resources for cities and counties, strengthening sentences for repeat offenders, and cracking down on soft-on-crime policies.
- Top priorities
Steven YoungGreen- Making it harder for ICE to operate while they are in the state.
- Banning hyperscale data centers.
- Keeping citizens safe and making Minnesota a sanctuary state.
- Get to know ’em
Peggy FlanaganDemocrat - Get to know ’em
Michele TafoyaRepublican - Get to know ’em
Rebecca WhitingLibertarian - Get to know ’em
Marisa SimonettiUnaffiliated
All U.S. House of Representatives seats are up for election every two years. Find your district here.
- Shadrach’s big picture
Minnesota will elect eight candidates to represent them in the U.S. House. It’s a purple state that is split down the middle, with Republicans expected to hold four seats and Democrats expected to hold the other four.
- Open seats
One. MN-2’s incumbent Rep. Angie Craig (D) ran for U.S. Senate.
- Competitive districts
Cook doesn’t rank any Minnesotan district as competitive. MN-1 and MN-2 are ranked likely Republican and likely Democrat respectively. MN-3, MN-4, and MN-5 are ranked solidly Democratic and the rest are solidly Republican. Candidates in both parties filed to run in every district, so no district is guaranteed to either party.
Statewide ballot measures
1 to read before you go. Tap one to open it.
Minnesota has a $2.2 billion pot of money set aside just for public schools. Right now, the rules only let schools get whatever interest and dividends that money earns each year, and that's capped at 2.5% of the fund's value. This amendment would let the state hand out more: up to 4.5% of the fund's value each year, starting in the 2027-28 school year.
Voting yessupports letting the state pay schools up to 4.5% of the Permanent School Fund's value each year, starting in the 2027-28 school year.Voting noopposes this constitutional amendment, keeping school payouts limited to the interest and dividends the fund earns, capped at 2.5% of its value.
Also on the ballot
Other races Minnesota voters will decide.
- Lieutenant Governor
- Attorney General
- Secretary of State
- Auditor
- State Senate
- State House
- Special state legislative
- State Supreme Court
- Intermediate appellate courts
- School boards
- Municipal government
Whose job is it?
Ten things government does. Tap the office that does each one.
Whose job is it to…
1 of 10
Declare a state of emergency after a hurricane or flood?
Pass it on
Know someone voting in Minnesota?
Send them the guide. It takes one tap, and it saves them an evening of arguing in a group chat.
From the newsroom
How TPO has covered Minnesota this cycle. Tap one to read it here.
A prayer for Minnesota
Lord of lakes and land, hold Minnesota through the midterms. Even in their deep divisions, draw near to voters as they enter the ballot box. Even as they seek wisdom and justice through their choices, teach Minnesotans to turn to You, the renewer of everything, to heal their land. May they cast their votes with humble conviction and hold the outcome with open hands.
Shield candidates from the temptation to win at any cost. May they lead with humility and remember that the people they seek to represent belong to You before they belong to any party. If they win, surround them with wise counsel and guide them toward decisions that serve their constituents. For those who lose, may they do so with dignity and a unifying spirit.
Guard the hearts and minds of those weighed down by noise, grieved by division, or afraid of tomorrow. For You are not shaken by elections, You govern governors, and Your kingdom will not be moved.
Amen.