Secretary of State 2026 Election Guide

Contributed

Website: tadjude.com

Party: Republican

Age on Election Day: 74

Community: Maple Grove

Employment: Attorney, Self-Employed

Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.

My experience as a legislator, district court judge, attorney, and small business owner makes me uniquely qualified to serve as Minnesota's Secretary of State. Election law spans the city, county, state, and federal levels, and when disputes arise, they are often settled in court. As a legislator, I have written laws, interpreted them as an attorney, and ruled on them as a judge. My experience gives me insight into what needs to change to improve election integrity in Minnesota, and how to get these reforms enacted into law. I am also a small business owner and understand the importance of making it easy for honest businesses to register, and as a taxpayer, the need to prevent fraudulent businesses from being created. I am running because I am ready to step into this office on day one and secure the vote for every Minnesotan.

Why are you running?

Minnesotans deserve elections they can trust, tax dollars that are protected, and a flag that reflects our heritage. These are the reasons I am running for Secretary of State. Minnesotans care deeply about voting, and yet we have some of the most relaxed voting laws and regulations in the country. Steve Simon doesn't require a photo ID at the polls to vote, he allows for "vouching" and refuses to use the more robust federal SAVE voter database. Securing the vote for every Minnesotan is my highest priority. I will also stop fraud tourism in Minnesota. On day one, I will launch a dedicated task force to reform the registration process and detect fraudulent businesses before they ever scam a single dollar. Finally, I'm running to give Minnesotans an up-or-down vote on bringing back the 1983 traditional Minnesota flag. Minnesotans deserve to be heard on this issue.

Editor’s note: Minnesota does not require a photo ID to vote if someone's voter registration is current and active. Proof of residence is needed to register to vote, to update registration or if someone has not voted in four or more years. A registered voter from the same precinct can “vouch” as a form of proof of registration, signing an oath confirming another voter’s address.

Why should voters elect you?

I'm asking for Minnesotans' vote because I have the passion for securing our elections and the skills and experience to do the job.
The Secretary of State's office is not a place for on-the-job training. There is simply too much at stake. Every law enacted is there because of what happened at the ballot box, making secure elections the foundation of a good government. Some reforms require working with the legislature. I've been a legislator. Some reforms will require challenging or defending regulations in court, and I've been a judge and an attorney. Every Minnesotan needs to be able to trust the vote. I am uniquely qualified to make sure they can.

What are your top three priorities, if elected? Please describe specific goals.

Three specific goals I am running to accomplish as Secretary of State are to secure the vote, put an end to fraud tourism in Minnesota, and secure a vote to restore the Minnesota 1983 traditional flag. Restoring election integrity is a process that must be addressed through regulation, statutory change, and possibly through the courts. As Secretary of State, I would use the SAVE voter database, which is more comprehensive than the one Minnesota currently uses, and work with partners at every level of government to ensure the accuracy of our voter rolls. I would address fraud by deploying banking-industry technologies and methodologies to identify connections among fraudulent businesses. On day one, I will fly the 1983 Minnesota flag in my office and begin the process of securing a vote to restore the flag.

Editor’s note: While the secretary of state may advocate for legislation, changes to the state flag are made by the state Legislature.

How should the Minnesota Secretary of State respond to election-related demands from the federal government?

Some argue that we have to choose between privacy and election integrity. I don't agree. The data the federal government is seeking to review is generally data it originally issued. Before acting, I would make sure any data that must be kept private for safety reasons stays private. Once those concerns are addressed, I will cooperate with the federal government to ensure our voter rolls are accurate and up to date. I believe in transparency. Clean voter rolls have nothing to hide.

Do you support Voter ID laws? Why or why not?

I support requiring a photo ID to vote. Voting is the bedrock of our government. Every law that is passed that touches you or your family is enacted because of an election. And because of the significance of our elections, the entire process needs to be safeguarded, including the requirement of a photo ID. If you tried to open a bank account, lease an apartment, or purchase certain cold medicines, you would be asked to produce a photo ID. The idea that a photo ID isn't required to vote is hard to understand when it is commonly required for so many daily activities. The American public overwhelmingly supports requiring photo IDs to vote because it is a simple and effective way to help protect our elections.

How would you support local election offices?

Our elections are run by city, county, township, and school district offices, and they need to know the Secretary of State has their support. Whether it is clear guidance, new technologies, or robust training, partnering with the people on the frontlines will be a top priority in my administration.

What role do you think politics should play in this office?

Voting and the integrity of our elections should never be political. The truth is, Americans largely agree our elections should be secure. In fact, 80% of Americans agree we should require a photo ID. That's just one election integrity issue, but I believe we agree on more than we disagree on when it comes to voting. I'm a former judge. I understand that politics can't influence the job, and I know how to apply the law fairly and consistently to achieve the best outcomes for everyone. The function of this office is to protect the vote, not to advance a political agenda.

Editor’s note: Yes, roughly 80% of Americans support requiring a photo ID to vote.

Contributed

Website: seth4mnsos.org

Party: Green

Age on Election Day: 42

Community: Minneapolis

Employment: Land Stewardship Project, Operations Specialist

Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.

I am a life-long Minnesotan and care deeply about the well-being of my community, Minnesota businesses and workers, and our democratic institutions. I was born and raised in Baudette, earned a degree in Political Science from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University near St. Cloud, and have resided in the Twin Cities area since 2006.

I have 7 years of union workplace involvement as an active member of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 663 and The Office of Professional Employees International Union Local 12 serving on contract bargaining teams and Labor Management Committees at each and being selected as a steward with UFCW. I have a combined 20 years of work experience in cooperatives, for-profit businesses, and nonprofits as well as 16 years of board of directors service with cooperatives, nonprofits, and political organizations.

Why are you running?

I am running as a Secretary of State candidate for the residents and voters of Minnesota, not any corporate or special interests. I am not running against any particular candidate or political party in the race, though I will not back down from challenging my competitors and standing up for my values and the issues I care deeply about.

I am running as a Green Party candidate on a platform that elevates the Green Party’s 4 pillars of Social & Economic Justice, Grassroots Democracy, Nonviolence, and Ecological Wisdom. I will connect those values to the work of the Secretary of State's Office to better serve our democracy and economy in MN.

Why should voters elect you?

I am an independent candidate (outside the 2 major parties in MN) endorsed by the Green Party and am running on a set of issues that ties into their values and the work of the Secretary of State's Office. I do not accept donations from for profit or nonprofit corporations, Political Action Committees (PACs) or lobbyists, and only accept donations from individuals. So, I am not beholden to any sort of corporate or special interest. I will be responsive to Minnesota voters and businesses and will work to take measures to strengthen our state's democratic institutions and economy.

What are your top three priorities, if elected? Please describe specific goals.

My top 3 priorities (in no particular order) are:

INSTITUTE AN ELECTORAL SYSTEM THAT HONORS THE WILL OF MN VOTERS through adopting proportional representation for the MN House and ranked choice voting for MN executive branch offices, allowing cities and counties to use these methods for electing multi-member and single-seat local officials, and moving to direct election of the US President by ranked choice voting.

ADVOCATE FOR STATE & GLOBAL WELL-BEING by divesting from weapons manufacturers, genocidal nations, nuclear power and fossil fuel extraction, animal harm, and any such companies that profit from those actions and shifting those state investments into entities that uphold peace, human rights, ecological health, and animal welfare.

FOSTER A HEALTHY MN BUSINESS & WORKER ENVIRONMENT by facilitating the growth of cooperatives, credit unions, and community land trusts and honoring employers that provide living wages, practice just-cause employment, and support the right to unionize.

Editor’s note: The Secretary of State does not directly manage the state of Minnesota’s investments. They are a member of the Minnesota State Board of Investments, which monitors and evaluates the state’s investments.

How should the Minnesota Secretary of State respond to election-related demands from the federal government?

Elections are to be administered by state and local governments and any election-related materials should remain in their hands and protected by those state and local governments. Minnesota shall not be an exception to that - the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office shall work within their office and with local election officials to protect voter information.

Do you support Voter ID laws? Why or why not?

I do not support voter ID laws. Voter ID laws create more barriers to voting. While I believe election integrity is an important matter, voter fraud is incredibly rare in the state of Minnesota, and we have other safeguards in place to prevent ineligible voters from casting a ballot and to investigate election-related crime.

How would you support local election offices?

Local election officials are guided by state laws that regulate the procedures that need to happen before, during, and after election day. In leading the Secretary of State's Office, I would support local election offices in two major ways:
1) Provide extensive training in a number of mediums and manners that meet the unique needs of each community and local election office, while following those current state election laws.
2) Ongoing consultation and exchange of ideas with each and every local election office to improve upon procedures and identify changes to state laws that the SOS Office would advocate for at the MN legislature.

What role do you think politics should play in this office?

I think political bias or ideology should not play a role in leading the Secretary of State's Office (as much as possible). As a Green Party candidate, a native of greater Minnesota and 20-year resident of the Twin Cities, and from a working to middle class economic status - I believe I can bridge many of the divides we have between rural and urban, political ideology, and socio-economic background. I believe I have the experience and ideas to bring about a stronger and more diverse MN democracy and economy.

Incumbent

Website: stevesimonmn.com

Party: DFL

Age on Election Day: (Field left blank)

Community: Hopkins

Employment: Minnesota Secretary of State

Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.

Before becoming Minnesota Secretary of State in 2015, I served in the Minnesota House, where I focused on improving our election system and chaired the Elections Committee. I successfully enacted many election reforms, including the law allowing all eligible voters to vote from home. As Secretary of State, I’ve helped Minnesota lead the nation in voter turnout for multiple elections, and I’m proud that we were recently recognized as the best state in America for overall election performance.

Editor’s note: Minnesota ranked No. 1 in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Elections Performance Index for 2024.

Why are you running?

My family fled to the United States from a country in which they were not allowed to vote, which is why free and fair elections are so important to me. I’ve served in office since my first election to the Minnesota House in 2004. During my legislative service, I focused on improvements to our election system and eventually served as Chair of the Elections Committee. I’ve served as Secretary of State since 2014 and I’m the best equipped candidate to keep Minnesota a national leader in election participation and integrity. My mission is simple: protecting the freedom to vote.

Why should voters elect you?

As Minnesota Secretary of State, I have repeatedly and successfully overseen elections that are fair, accurate, honest, and secure. Working with partners across the state, I’ve helped Minnesota lead the nation in voter turnout for multiple elections, and I’m proud that we were recently recognized as the top state in America for overall election performance based on both voter access and security. I wrote the law giving eligible Minnesotans the option to vote from home, and I’ve championed reforms that make Minnesota a national model, leading to high voter confidence in the integrity of our elections.

What are your top three priorities, if elected? Please describe specific goals.

My mission is to defend and strengthen the freedom to vote for every eligible Minnesota. I’ll keep pushing back against unjustified federal interference in our elections and I’ll protect voters’ private, sensitive information from the Justice Department. I’ll also keep fighting against assaults on the longstanding bipartisan reforms that have made Minnesota the envy of the nation, like same-day voter registration and the option to vote from home. I’ll push for even greater transparency and for more opportunities to connect voters with information about the election system.

How should the Minnesota Secretary of State respond to election-related demands from the federal government?

My position starts and ends with the law. Courts across the country, including in Minnesota, have unanimously agreed that under the law the federal government has access to public voter rolls, but they do not need voters’ social security data or driver’s license information - especially when they refuse to say why they need such information and what they intend to do with it. Our job is to be faithful to the law by protecting voter privacy.

Do you support Voter ID laws? Why or why not?

I support Minnesota’s current law requiring all eligible voters registering to vote to show that they are who they say they are and they live where they say they live. The list of items Minnesotans can use to demonstrate either of those things is broad and flexible, going beyond merely a government-issued photo ID. That system has made our system highly secure and trustworthy. Minnesotans a few years ago rejected a less flexible system that would have limited the items that voters could use to show identity or residency.

How would you support local election offices?

As Secretary of State, I pride myself on a strong partnership with elections offices in counties, cities, and townships. I regularly visit all 87 Minnesota counties, often meeting face to face with local election administrators. Our office attends and hosts regular conferences where election professionals from local governments strategize about how best to deliver secure and accessible elections.

What role do you think politics should play in this office?

I don’t think politics should play any role in this office. That’s why I do not endorse any candidates for any office for any reason. I’m committed to being a fair, honest, and nonpartisan Secretary of State. I make judgment calls based on the law, not on politics. Even my own political party has sued me three times when it disagreed with my decisions. I won each time.

Website: chipforsos.com

Party: Libertarian

Age on Election Day: 62

Community: Inver Grove Heights

Employment: I am a relationship manager at Enterprise Minnesota, a consulting firm that helps manufacturing enterprises grow profitably.

Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.

My political science and law degrees, from Middlebury College and the University of Minnesota, respectively, are highly relevant to the position. As the chief election officer, the Secretary of State must be mindful of history and legal precedent, draw inspiration from other states and countries, and have the aptitude to navigate the complicated statutes and rules that govern our elections.

Additionally, through my experience, I know how the system works and where improvements must be made. My most pivotal professional experience was on Capitol Hill, where I served as legislative counsel to U.S. Representative Jim Ramstad, a rare Member of Congress that worked across party lines to get things done. For the past decade, I’ve been an active member of the Libertarian Party, testifying regularly at the state capitol on election reform measures.

Why are you running?

Structurally, we need to begin electing Secretaries of State who are unaffiliated with the two major parties so that all Minnesota voters have confidence in our election system. Additionally, I will passionately pursue reforms that enable voters to have more options on their ballots. Many Minnesotans have told me they don’t vote because they refuse to settle for the “lesser of two evils.” I don’t want to see any Minnesotans checked out on the sidelines.

Why should voters elect you?

At age 62, the position I seek is not a stepping stone for another office. I want to apply my life experience to this office. This office needs an independent perspective. A Republican or a Democrat does not have the mindset, or perhaps the freedom, to entertain or pursue needed reforms.

What are your top three priorities, if elected? Please describe specific goals.

I will remove obstacles that restrict our options on the ballot.

1) The Secretary of State should maintain a secure portal to collect signatures for candidate nominating petitions. This long overdue modernization step will end the disenfranchisement of signers with messy handwriting, respect their privacy, and accommodate persons with disabilities.

2) I will not affix the Great Seal of Minnesota on a governor’s writ of special election that needlessly limits the time period in which signatures can be collected, and I will urge the legislature to lengthen the time for collecting signatures in general elections and reduce signature thresholds.

3) I will urge enactment of HF 3534, the Minor Party Ballot Access bill. Minnesota is one of seventeen states that recognizes major and minor political parties that meet statutory tests of viability, and yet we are the only state that does not confer ballot access to candidates of minor parties.

How should the Minnesota Secretary of State respond to election-related demands from the federal government?

Minnesota should take full responsibility for the administration of our elections, and I will vigorously oppose intrusions by the federal government, regardless of which party is in power at the White House or in Congress. Moreover, I will zealously defend our state’s election laws. The current Secretary of State failed to do so when he refused to appeal a US District Court’s decision to invalidate the “Wellstone law,” which called for a special election to be held in February if a major party candidate dies when votes are being cast in the November general election. See Craig v. Simon (8th Circuit 2020).

Do you support Voter ID laws? Why or why not?

It is in everyone’s interest to present proper identification when voting, as it ensures that a voter who is matched to the voting roll is an eligible voter. However, I would be profoundly dismayed if any truly eligible voter is denied the opportunity to exercise their constitutional right to vote, for any reason. Therefore, I would oppose an absolute requirement to furnish identification as a condition of casting a vote. That said, if there are questions about the eligibility of voters, then their ballots should be placed in a sealed envelope and not tabulated until their eligibility can be verified. Such provisional voting is practiced in most U.S. and has enabled citizens to vote in states that don’t allow voters to register on election day. In Minnesota, we should insist on maximum voting opportunities and high standards for electoral security.

How would you support local election offices?

The office of Secretary of State could better advise county officials on best practices. Candidates seeking to qualify for the ballot via petitioning should have the opportunity to review the validity of signatures with filing office staff rather than be directed to take their appeal to the courts. Moreover, filing staff must be exceedingly conscientious that candidates properly file affidavits of candidacy; errors detected the day after the filing period closes are not acceptable because they cannot be rectified.

What role do you think politics should play in this office?

Zero. There should not even be the perception of political bias, and a Secretary of State affiliated with one of the two major political parties cannot meet that test.