Elections for state and federal offices were held via
first-past-the-post voting. The candidate or bloc of
presidential electors that wins the most votes will be elected. Nominations for parties with major party status—the
DFL,
Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis,
Legal Marijuana Now, and
Republican parties—were determined by an
open primary election. The candidate that won the most votes in each party became their party's nominee for the general election. If only a single candidate sought the nomination for each party, a primary election for that office was not held.
Judicial and several local elections will be held via a
nonpartisan blanket primary. Each voter had up to as many votes as there are positions to be filled. Voters could vote for a candidate not more than once. The top number of candidates that won the most votes in the primary election that was twice the number of positions to be filled advanced to the general election. If not more than twice the number of candidates to be elected sought election, a primary election was not held. Most cities, school districts, and all townships and hospital districts did not hold a primary election—instead all candidates appeared at the general election. The top number of candidates that win the most votes in the general election that is equal to the number of positions to be filled will be elected. Judicial and local elections are nonpartisan.
The candidate filing period was from May 19 to June 2, 2020. The filing period for cities, townships, school districts, and hospital districts that did not hold a primary election was from July 28 to August 11, 2020.[1]
All 67 seats in the
Minnesota Senate were up for election. The
Republicans hold a majority of 35 seats and the
DFL hold 32 seats. The Republicans have held a majority in the Senate since the
2016 election.
Minnesota has voted for the
Democratic nominee in every presidential election since
1976, the longest streak of any U.S. state as of the
2016 election. The Democratic nominee in 2016,
Hillary Clinton, won Minnesota by less than two percentage points over
Republican nominee
Donald Trump.[3]
Minnesota's class 2
United States Senate seat was up for election. Incumbent
DFL Senator
Tina Smith was originally appointed in 2018 by Governor
Mark Dayton to replace Senator
Al Franken after he resigned. Smith won a
special election and is seeking election to her first full term in the Senate. The DFL has held Minnesota's class 2 U.S. Senate seat since 2009 when
Al Franken defeated
Republican incumbent
Norm Coleman after a protracted recount following the
2008 election.
Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith was appointed in January 2018 by
GovernorMark Dayton to replace Franken after he resigned following sexual harassment allegations. Smith won her first election in the
2018 special election.
Former U.S. Representative
Jason Lewis is the Republican nominee. Other candidates include
Legal Marijuana Now Party candidate Kevin O'Connor and
Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party candidate Oliver Steinberg. Candidates who lost the primary election for the Republican nomination included John Berman, Bob Carney, Cynthia Gail, and James Reibestein. Candidates who lost the primary election for the DFL nomination included Steve Carlson, Ahmad Hassan, Paula Overby, and Christopher Seymore.[4]
Elections for several subdivisions were held—including elections for counties, municipalities, school districts, and hospital districts.
Counties
All
87 counties held regular elections. 37 counties held primary elections. Five counties also held special elections on the day of the general election.[5]Kanabec County had a ballot question on the day of the general election.[6]
829
cities and 656
townships held regular elections. 32 cities held primary elections. 101 cities and 51 townships held special elections.
Bemidji and
Minneapolis each held a special election on the day of the primary election. All other special elections were held on the day of the general election.[7]Bloomington, Minneapolis, and
Minnetonka did not have regularly scheduled elections, but each had one or more ballot questions on the day of the general election.
Jeffers had a ballot question on the day of the primary election.[8] 22 cities and 12 townships had one or more ballot questions on the day of the general election.[6]
Cities held elections for one or more of the following:
1One or more special elections will be held on the day of the general election.
2Will have one or more ballot questions on the day of the general election.
3A primary election was held.
4A special election was held on the day of the primary election.
5A special primary election will be held on the day of the general election.
6Does not have regularly scheduled elections.
7Had a ballot question on the day of the primary election.
8Two special primary elections were held on the day of the primary election.
School districts
294
school districts held regular elections to elect half of the members of their
board of directors.
Minneapolis and
Red Lake each held a primary election. Barnesville, Duluth, Fridley, Orono, Prinsburg, Rush City, and Saint Paul did not have regularly scheduled elections, but each held a special election or had one or more ballot questions on the day of the general election. 28 other school districts also held a special election on the day of the general election.[9] Ely,
Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop, and McGregor each had one or more ballot questions on the day of the primary election.[8] 43 school districts had one or more ballot questions on the day of the general election.[6]
1Will have one or more ballot questions on the day of the general election.
2A special election will be held on the day of the general election.
3Does not have a regularly scheduled election.
4Had one or more ballot questions on the day of the primary election.
5A primary election was held.
Hospital districts
14
hospital districts held regular elections to elect half of the members of their board of directors. Two hospital districts also held special elections on the day of the general election.[10]
Elections for state and federal offices were held via
first-past-the-post voting. The candidate or bloc of
presidential electors that wins the most votes will be elected. Nominations for parties with major party status—the
DFL,
Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis,
Legal Marijuana Now, and
Republican parties—were determined by an
open primary election. The candidate that won the most votes in each party became their party's nominee for the general election. If only a single candidate sought the nomination for each party, a primary election for that office was not held.
Judicial and several local elections will be held via a
nonpartisan blanket primary. Each voter had up to as many votes as there are positions to be filled. Voters could vote for a candidate not more than once. The top number of candidates that won the most votes in the primary election that was twice the number of positions to be filled advanced to the general election. If not more than twice the number of candidates to be elected sought election, a primary election was not held. Most cities, school districts, and all townships and hospital districts did not hold a primary election—instead all candidates appeared at the general election. The top number of candidates that win the most votes in the general election that is equal to the number of positions to be filled will be elected. Judicial and local elections are nonpartisan.
The candidate filing period was from May 19 to June 2, 2020. The filing period for cities, townships, school districts, and hospital districts that did not hold a primary election was from July 28 to August 11, 2020.[1]
All 67 seats in the
Minnesota Senate were up for election. The
Republicans hold a majority of 35 seats and the
DFL hold 32 seats. The Republicans have held a majority in the Senate since the
2016 election.
Minnesota has voted for the
Democratic nominee in every presidential election since
1976, the longest streak of any U.S. state as of the
2016 election. The Democratic nominee in 2016,
Hillary Clinton, won Minnesota by less than two percentage points over
Republican nominee
Donald Trump.[3]
Minnesota's class 2
United States Senate seat was up for election. Incumbent
DFL Senator
Tina Smith was originally appointed in 2018 by Governor
Mark Dayton to replace Senator
Al Franken after he resigned. Smith won a
special election and is seeking election to her first full term in the Senate. The DFL has held Minnesota's class 2 U.S. Senate seat since 2009 when
Al Franken defeated
Republican incumbent
Norm Coleman after a protracted recount following the
2008 election.
Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith was appointed in January 2018 by
GovernorMark Dayton to replace Franken after he resigned following sexual harassment allegations. Smith won her first election in the
2018 special election.
Former U.S. Representative
Jason Lewis is the Republican nominee. Other candidates include
Legal Marijuana Now Party candidate Kevin O'Connor and
Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party candidate Oliver Steinberg. Candidates who lost the primary election for the Republican nomination included John Berman, Bob Carney, Cynthia Gail, and James Reibestein. Candidates who lost the primary election for the DFL nomination included Steve Carlson, Ahmad Hassan, Paula Overby, and Christopher Seymore.[4]
Elections for several subdivisions were held—including elections for counties, municipalities, school districts, and hospital districts.
Counties
All
87 counties held regular elections. 37 counties held primary elections. Five counties also held special elections on the day of the general election.[5]Kanabec County had a ballot question on the day of the general election.[6]
829
cities and 656
townships held regular elections. 32 cities held primary elections. 101 cities and 51 townships held special elections.
Bemidji and
Minneapolis each held a special election on the day of the primary election. All other special elections were held on the day of the general election.[7]Bloomington, Minneapolis, and
Minnetonka did not have regularly scheduled elections, but each had one or more ballot questions on the day of the general election.
Jeffers had a ballot question on the day of the primary election.[8] 22 cities and 12 townships had one or more ballot questions on the day of the general election.[6]
Cities held elections for one or more of the following:
1One or more special elections will be held on the day of the general election.
2Will have one or more ballot questions on the day of the general election.
3A primary election was held.
4A special election was held on the day of the primary election.
5A special primary election will be held on the day of the general election.
6Does not have regularly scheduled elections.
7Had a ballot question on the day of the primary election.
8Two special primary elections were held on the day of the primary election.
School districts
294
school districts held regular elections to elect half of the members of their
board of directors.
Minneapolis and
Red Lake each held a primary election. Barnesville, Duluth, Fridley, Orono, Prinsburg, Rush City, and Saint Paul did not have regularly scheduled elections, but each held a special election or had one or more ballot questions on the day of the general election. 28 other school districts also held a special election on the day of the general election.[9] Ely,
Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop, and McGregor each had one or more ballot questions on the day of the primary election.[8] 43 school districts had one or more ballot questions on the day of the general election.[6]
1Will have one or more ballot questions on the day of the general election.
2A special election will be held on the day of the general election.
3Does not have a regularly scheduled election.
4Had one or more ballot questions on the day of the primary election.
5A primary election was held.
Hospital districts
14
hospital districts held regular elections to elect half of the members of their board of directors. Two hospital districts also held special elections on the day of the general election.[10]