Minnesota voter turnout: New record set as millions cast ballots

(FOX 9) - Making their voices heard via the ballot box, Minnesota voters turned out in full force on Election Night – setting a new non-presidential year record as they determined who will be their next governor, state auditor, attorney general and several other key congressional races.

Minnesota voter turnout

What we know:

According to the Minnesota Secretary of State Office, Minnesota uses the number of the Voting Eligible Population (VEP) as the denominator when calculating the percentage of voters who cast a ballot.

The VEP is the number of individuals 18 years of age or older (the voting age population), minus the estimated number of individuals who are not eligible to vote (such as noncitizens or individuals who do not have voting rights under law).

In 2026, Minnesota’s current estimated Voting Eligible Population is 4,404,656, the Secretary of State’s Office says.

Dig deeper:

As of 7 a.m. on Tuesday, a total of 3,927,588 people in Minnesota were registered to vote in the midterm elections. Eligible voters were able to register at polling places until 8 p.m., but the number of people who did won’t be known for a few weeks yet (more on that below).

Minnesota governor race

What we know:

Amy Klobuchar and running mate Ben Schierer won the race for governor of Minnesota, making her the first woman in the state's history to be elected to the position.

The Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office says that 1,569,094 people voted for her (55.47%), while opponents Lisa Demuth and Ryan Wilson received 1,205,788 votes (42.63%).

Minnesota had an open governor's race for the first time since 2018, after Gov. Tim Walz announced he would not seek a third term. 

US Senate

What we know:

Vying for a seat vacated by Tina Smith, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan defeated Michele Tafoya in the race for Minnesota’s open U.S. Senate seat.

With 99% of the votes counted, Flanagan received 1,520,299 votes (or 53.7%), while Tafoya earned 1,232,683 (or 43.6%).

Attorney general

What we know:

Keith Ellison has won reelection as Minnesota attorney general, securing a third term after defeating Republican challenger Ron Schutz.

Ellison received 1,520,401votes (or 54.3%), while Schutz earned 1,275,401 (or 45.5%).

Secretary of State

What we know:

DFL incumbent Steve Simon won reelection as Minnesota Secretary of State, securing a fourth term in the process.

Simon earned 1,528,571 (or 54.7%), securely defeating Republican challenger Tad Jude, who received 1,167,898 votes (41.8%).

Simon, a DFLer who first took office in 2015, will continue leading the office that oversees Minnesota’s elections and business registrations.

DFL trifecta won

Big picture view:

In the wake of the election, Minnesota Democrats will have a "trifecta" – gaining control of the governor's office, the House and the Senate.

The last time Minnesota Democrats had a trifecta was in 2022, and it was broken up in 2024.

What's next:

Results for state and federal offices are unofficial until the Minnesota State Canvassing Board meets on Nov. 19, 2026, to certify results.

Anyone with questions or concerns about ballots or potential election interference can contact the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office at 1-877-600-VOTE (8683).

You can also follow updated post-election results as part of FOX 9’s election coverage.

The Source: Information provided by the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office and previous FOX 9 reporting.