Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*
Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol
Already have an account?
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Politics and Government
Mark Zdechlik

Minnesotans aiming for county, state, federal offices have 2 weeks to file candidacy

A man sits at a table to fill out paperwork
Republican Rep. Brian Johnson of Cambridge was the first in line to file his candidacy at the Minnesota Secretary of State's office Tuesday morning in St. Paul.
Mark Zdechlik | MPR News

Like this?

Log in to share your opinion with MPR News and add it to your profile.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

People hunting for a spot on an upcoming Minnesota ballot began to claim their space Tuesday as the candidate filing period opened for county, state and federal office.

The window for getting onto the ballot either through a major-party line or minor party signature petitions remains open through June 4. A reconsideration period lasts for two days after that.

For the first time since the 2016 election, there are only two major parties in the state: the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and the Republican Party. Another, the Legal Marijuana Now Party, was demoted by a recent Minnesota Supreme Court ruling.

Rep. Brian Johnson, R-Cambridge, was the first in the line at the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office in St. Paul on Tuesday morning.

“I just happened to be down here for other things, so I thought I’d stop in before I head back up to the district and get back talking to my constituents,” Johnson said shortly before the filing period opened at 8 a.m.

Still tired from the just-ended legislative session, Johnson said representing his constituents, regardless of their political allegiances, is important.

“We are representatives of the people,” Johnson said. “We represent our district, but we also represent the entire state.” 

All 134 House seats, eight congressional seats and a U.S. Senate seat are on this year’s Minnesota ballot. So are a spate of judicial spots and three Minnesota Supreme Court seats, where the sitting justices are expected to run again.

City and school district offices have different filing periods depending on whether there are primaries.

Presidential candidates are added to the ballot through a party-led process set for August.

Tell MPR News