How to Run for Office in Minnesota
Getting on the Ballot
Minnesota keeps ballot access simple: a notarized Affidavit of Candidacy plus a modest filing fee (or a petition in place of the fee), submitted during a two-week filing period. Where you file follows the office: state, federal, and judicial candidates with the Secretary of State; county offices with the county auditor; city offices with the city clerk; school board with the school district clerk; townships with the town clerk.
Filing fees are very low - on the order of $50 for county offices and similarly modest for legislative seats - and candidates running for a partisan office outside a major party add a nominating petition.
Minnesota's filing periods come in two rounds for even years (May-June for most offices, with a later window for some local offices) - check the Secretary of State's election calendar for the current dates.
Where Local Candidates File
Your county auditor is the election office for county races and the best local resource generally; city and school candidates file with their city or school district clerk. Campaign finance splits by level: state-level candidates (legislature, constitutional offices, judges) register and report with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, while county, municipal, and school candidates file simpler reports with their local filing officer - and only if they raise or spend more than $750 in a calendar year. Local governments now post those reports on their websites.
Worth Knowing
- Minnesota offers public subsidies to state candidates who sign a spending-limit agreement - one of the few states with a functioning public financing program for legislative races.
- The $750 threshold means many small school board and township campaigns never trigger formal finance reporting at all - but track your numbers, because crossing it mid-campaign creates immediate obligations.
- The affidavit must be notarized - a small thing, but it means you can't fill it out at the counter without a notary present (many filing offices can notarize; call ahead).
Official Minnesota Resources
Filing deadlines, fees, and signature requirements change from cycle to cycle. Always confirm current details with the official sources below.
This page was last reviewed on August 4, 2026. Process details above are believed current as of that date; deadlines and fees should always be verified with your election office.