Minnesota Ballot 2026: U.S. Senate, Governor and a School Fund Amendment on Nov. 3

Minnesota holds its general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, with polls open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and early absentee voting at local elections offices ends Monday, Nov. 2, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State (SOS) and state law. The ballot has a U.S. Senate seat, the governor’s race and one statewide constitutional amendment, “Increasing funding to school districts.” The SOS candidate pages could not be read for this story, so the names below come from news reports and are credited to them. Check your own ballot with the SOS “What’s on my ballot” tool.

Who is running for U.S. Senate and governor in Minnesota?

The names in this table come from news reports, not from the Secretary of State’s certified list. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) is the state’s Democratic Party affiliate.

Race	Candidates	Reported by
U.S. Senate	Peggy Flanagan (DFL), Michele Tafoya (Republican), Rebecca Whiting (Libertarian), Marisa Simonetti (Independent)	Northern Community Radio (KAXE), Sept. 25, 2026
Governor	Amy Klobuchar (DFL), Lisa Demuth (Republican)	Fox 9 via Valley News Live, Aug. 12, 2026

The attorney general, secretary of state and state auditor are also on the ballot. We do not list those candidates because we could not confirm them from a source we can cite. Your sample ballot shows the full field for your address.

What is the Minnesota constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot?

Minnesota voters see one statewide question. Its ballot title is “Increasing funding to school districts,” and the text in House File (HF) 3900 (2026) reads:

“Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to increase the funding going to all school districts from the permanent school fund, which is a fund that supports school districts without raising individual income or property taxes, effective July 1, 2027?”

HF 3900 amends Article XI, Section 8 of the Minnesota Constitution. Ballotpedia News reported on May 19, 2026 that the bill passed the House 134-0 and the Senate 43-24 on May 16, 2026. You mark Yes or No on the question. Any change would take effect July 1, 2027, under the question’s own wording.

What else is on the Minnesota ballot?

Ballotpedia News reported on Oct. 20, 2026 that all 134 Minnesota House seats and all 67 state Senate seats are on the ballot. Local races differ by address, so the sample ballot for your address is the complete list.

How does early voting work in Minnesota?

The SOS 2026 absentee factsheet says you can vote early by absentee ballot at your local elections office starting 46 days before Election Day, and it gives the window as Sept. 18 to Nov. 2. Absentee ballots were sent starting Friday, Sept. 18. On Oct. 23, 2026, the SOS reported 419,189 ballots accepted in the first five weeks of voting.

Date	What happens
Fri., Sept. 18	Absentee ballots sent and early voting begins
Fri., Oct. 2	SOS recommends applying by this date (passed)
Tue., Oct. 13	Last day to register in advance (passed)
Mon., Nov. 2	Early voting ends; last day to apply for an absentee ballot
Tue., Nov. 3, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.	Election Day voting hours
Tue., Nov. 3	Absentee ballots must be received

The Nov. 2 application date comes from Minnesota Statutes 203B.04, which allows an application “at any time not less than one day before the day of that election.” The SOS says an absentee ballot received after Election Day will not count. A witness is required when you vote and complete your ballot. The witness can be a U.S. citizen at least 18 years old on Election Day, or a notary.

Can I register and vote on Election Day?

The SOS factsheet lists Oct. 13 as the date to register in advance, and that date has passed. Minnesota Statutes 201.061 still lets you register at the polls with proof of residence, such as a driver’s license or state ID. Approved documents and student fee statements also qualify under the statute. The SOS 2025 new-voter guidance says registered voters do not need to show ID when they sign in, and unregistered voters must show proof of their current address.

Print your checklist

The free one-page checklist holds the Senate and governor candidates as reported above, the amendment with Yes and No boxes, the key dates and lines for your local races. Fill in the rest from your sample ballot. Plan your trip on the October and November 2026 calendars or a weekly planner. For results night, see what time polls close. Voting in another state? Read our Wisconsin ballot guide or the Texas sample ballot guide.