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State Coverage  ›  Minnesota  ›  Run for office

How to run for office in Minnesota.

The short, plain-English version: what you can run for, how to get on the ballot, and the official Minnesota resources that are the final word. Then, when you're qualified, Motion51 gets your voters on a map and your volunteers knocking.

Running this cycle, or getting ready for the next one? The first step comes before any filing deadline: know your voters. Motion51 puts your voter file on a map, free, so you can start finding your supporters now.

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The short version

In Minnesota the most common way to run is to file an Affidavit of Candidacy and pay a filing fee during the two-week filing period; you can file a nominating petition instead of the fee. The state uses partisan primaries for partisan offices and direct filing for many nonpartisan local offices.

Offices you can run for
Federal (U.S. House and Senate); statewide offices (Governor and other state officials); the Minnesota Senate and House; county, city, township, and school-board offices; and (nonpartisan) judicial seats.
How to get on the ballot
File an Affidavit of Candidacy with the appropriate filing officer during the two-week filing period and pay the filing fee for the office — or, in lieu of the fee, file a nominating petition with the required signatures. The Secretary of State's Campaign Filing Packet contains the affidavit and related forms.
Who runs candidate filing
Minnesota Secretary of State — Elections Division651-215-1440

This is a plain-language overview, not legal advice. Filing deadlines and fees change every election cycle and vary by office; the official Minnesota resources below are the final word. When in doubt, the elections authority is right and we're wrong.

Find your Minnesota county

Every county runs its own filing office and its own local races. See all 87 Minnesota counties, each with its election office, fees, deadlines and local facts.

Official Minnesota candidate resources

Start here for the exact deadlines, fees, forms, and signature counts for your office and cycle. Note: 2026 filing has closed in most states, so these resources govern the standing rules; check the official calendar for your next filing window.

Once you're on the ballot, Motion51 runs your field game.

Get your district's voter file loaded, cut into walkable turf, and onto an app your volunteers use at the door. Minnesota is fully available; see how to get your voter file.

Get your Minnesota voter file →

Talk to us about your Minnesota race

Tell us what you're running for and we'll help you go from "qualified" to "knocking doors": voter file loaded, turf cut, volunteers set up.

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