Early voting for the 2026 primary election starts Friday and election officials are expecting a spike in turnout.
While Minnesota has famously high turnout in general elections, primaries always have fewer voters. Still, turnout increases “where there’s a lot of action and competitiveness on the ballot,” said Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon. “And we certainly have that this year.”
The last time Minnesota had an open governor’s race was 2018. That year, turnout in the general election was about 64 percent of eligible voters and 23 percent in the primary, which featured competitive nominating contests in both parties.
After both major parties largely failed to unite around candidates during their endorsing conventions last month, multiple high-profile races are set to have competitive primaries this summer.
The primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 11, but before then voters can vote early by mail or in person.
What’s on the ballot?
The primary ballot has candidates for both partisan and nonpartisan races. For example, the gubernatorial race is partisan so candidates declare a party affiliation. Other offices like county commissioner or county attorney are nonpartisan.
Check out example ballots for the general election and the primary here.
There is a seven-candidate race to determine the Republican nominee for governor. The top three contenders are:
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Former healthcare executive Kendall Qualls, who won the party convention endorsement
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Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth
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My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell
The DFL also has seven candidates in its gubernatorial primary. Among them:
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U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who has the DFL endorsement and is the heavy favorite
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Former Capitol staffer Kobey Layne, the sole convention challenger to Klobuchar
One of Minnesota’s two U.S. Senate seats is up for election because Sen. Tina Smith is retiring. Both parties have a crowded field of candidates — six DFLers and nine Republicans.
The top two Democrats are:
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Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who won the party endorsement
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U.S. Rep. Angie Craig
The top three Republicans are:
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Former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze, who won the party endorsement
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Former professional basketball player Royce White
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Former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya
Are there races that won’t be on all ballots?
Yes. Candidates for local offices, the Minnesota Legislature and the U.S. House will be on the ballots of voters only in their districts or jurisdictions.
Every congressional district has a primary race in one party or the other — or both. But the most competitive is in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, an open seat. Six DFLers are competing to face state Sen. Eric Pratt, R-Prior Lake, in November.
The top three DFL contenders are:
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Former Lakeville mayor and former state Sen. Matt Little, who won the DFL endorsement
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Physician and state Sen. Matt Klein
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Flight attendant and state Rep. Kaela Berg
The entire Minnesota Legislature is up for reelection. Sixteen state Senate races feature primaries, including some involving incumbents. There are 20 state House primaries.
Do I need to declare a party to vote in the primary?
No. In open primary states like Minnesota, voters don’t need to affiliate with a political party and they can vote in any primary. However, in partisan races Minnesota voters have to vote for candidates of only one party so they can’t hopscotch between party candidates in different races.
How do I vote early? Absentee vs. new ‘early voting’
Forty six days before an election Minnesota voters can start voting absentee, which this year means voting starts Friday for the primary. Voting absentee means you mark your ballot and place it into an envelope for it to be verified by a ballot board and counted later. You can request an absentee ballot be mailed to you and then you can mail it back or submit it in person. You can also go to an absentee voting location, fill out an absentee ballot application and submit your ballot then and there.
New this year, voters can participate in what the state calls “early voting” — though it starts later than absentee voting — up to 18 days before the election. That’s when you go to a polling location, mark your ballot and then place your completed ballot directly into a tabulator machine.
“I think it will be quite popular and that voters will really like it, because it's more like the election day or game day experience,” Simon said.
Absentee ballots can be verified and processed before election day, but the actual counting of votes for each candidate happens after polls close Aug. 11.
When are mail-in ballots due?
Most absentee ballots must be returned to the correct elections office or ballot drop box by 5 p.m. on election day. However, qualified agents delivering marked ballots on behalf of nursing home residents, hospital patients and others in need of assistance have until 8 p.m.
In Minnesota, what matters is the ballot being physically received by that deadline, not when it was postmarked.
Do I need an excuse to vote early?
No, Minnesota is part of the majority of states that has no-excuse absentee voting.
Michelle Blue, the director of elections for Dakota County, said people have many reasons for voting early. Some voters have mobility challenges that make voting by mail more accessible. Others may work long hours and can’t make it to the polls on election day. And “a lot of people just prefer the convenience,” Blue said.
Whatever your reason, you don’t have to justify why you want to vote absentee to the state.
What is an election judge and can I be one?
Election judges are volunteers or temporary paid employees who are required to oversee certain aspects of elections to make sure the law is being followed. Election judges are party balanced to make sure election oversight is fair.
“Our elections would not work without them,” Blue said. “Please come see the process up close and personal for yourself.”
To be an election judge you must be eligible to vote in Minnesota and must be able to read, write and speak English.
