The swing state of Minnesota has a lot at stake in the 2018 primaries. Here’s the 411 on Minnesota’s upcoming election.
Minnesota has its statewide primary election on Tuesday, August 14. If you’re a voter in Minnesota, all the resources you need to vote are listed here; if you’re not in the state, consider sharing this post with friends or on social media to increase awareness and turnout!
Minnesota Voter Resources
Confirm your voter registration: https://iwillvote.com/
Info for overseas/military voters here
Find your polling place here
Check ID requirements here
Early voting? Yes. For details, click here.
Absentee voting? Yes. For details, click here.
Minnesota Politics: A Snapshot
• 2 Senators have elections in 2018 *Note: one of these is a special election
• All 8 House Representatives are up for re-election
• Voted +1.5 for Clinton in 2016
• Current partisan breakdown of the state legislature:
>>> Governor (D)
>>> State Senate is tied 33 – 33 plus one vacant seat
>>> State House 76 (R) – 56 (DFL) plus two vacant seats
Key Races
GOVERNOR
The sitting governor, Mark Dayton (D), is not seeking re-election. The Democrats have a large field of candidates running in the primary. The Democratic candidates are:
Tim Holden – website
Erin Murphy – website
Ole Savior – no website
Lori Swanson – website
Tim Walz – website
U.S. SENATE
The Class 1 Senate seat, currently held by Amy Klobuchar (D), has an election in 2018. There are a few candidates running against Klobuchar in the primary, but it is not projected to be a competitive primary.
The Class 2 Senate seat, currently held by Tina Smith (D) who was appointed by the governor after Al Franken resigned, will have a special election to determine who serves the rest of the term (through 2021).
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Cook Political Report has 5 districts rated competitive, and are a combination of tough races for Democrats to hold and good opportunities for the Democrats to flip. The candidates listed are for the Democratic primaries.
District 1 (Democratic Toss Up)
Dan Feehan – website
Colin Minehart – no website
District 8 (Democratic Toss Up)
Kirsten Hagen Kennedy – website
Michelle Lee – website
Jason Metsa – website
Joe Radinovich – website
Soren Christian Sorensen – website
District 2 (Republican Toss Up)
Angie Craig – website
District 3 (Republican Toss Up)
Dean Phillips – website
Cole Young – no website
District 7 (Likely Democratic)
Collin Peterson – website
STATE SENATE
None of the state senators have elections in 2018.
STATE HOUSE
All 134 seats in the House are up for re-election this year. The Democrats need to flip 11 seats to retake the House. A list of the candidates running for the House can be found here.
NOTE: If you’re unsure which state district you’re in, type in your address at Open States to get that info.
A Final Note
For a more complete list of state races in the primary, visit Ballotpedia: Minnesota Elections 2018. You can enter your address at 411Vote to see a sample ballot. To learn about events featuring candidates running for office, connect with your local chapter of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.
⚡
Categories: Uncategorized
Leave a Reply