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Minnesota elections, 2016
Welcome to the Minnesota elections portal for 2016. Scroll down for information about what was on the ballot, election dates, voting, and more. Minnesota saw elections for the offices listed below in 2016. Click the links to navigate to Ballotpedia's overview pages for each of these elections, where you will find background, candidate lists, dates, analysis, and more.
Election results
As a result of the 2016 elections, Minnesota remained under divided partisan control. The governorship was held by a Democrat. Democrats lost control of the state Senate, with Republicans holding 34 seats to Democrats' 33. Republicans also maintained control of the state House with 76 seats to Democrats' 57.
Both the state Senate and state House were rated 2016 battleground chambers by Ballotpedia. The Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (RLCC) identified the Minnesota State Senate and House of Representatives as targets in the 2016 elections.
In 2016, Minnesota had two U.S. Senate seats and eight U.S. House seats. All of the U.S. House seats were up for election in November. Democrats won five of the state's U.S. House seats and Republicans took three. Minnesota's 2nd U.S. House district election was expected to be among the most competitive congressional elections in the country. It was won by Jason Lewis, which kept the seat in Republican control after Republican incumbent John Kline chose to step down.
In 2016, Minnesota was one of 26 states, as well as Washington, D.C., that offered initiative and/or veto referendum rights for its citizens. One statewide ballot measure was certified for the ballot in 2016. The measure was approved by voters in the November general election. It established an independent board to set the pay of legislators.
Hillary Clinton won Minnesota's 10 electoral votes in the November 8, 2016 general election for president. Barack Obama carried Minnesota in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections. See also: Presidential election in Minnesota, 2016.
Voting
| Dates | |
|---|---|
| Presidential primary dates | |
| Minnesota election dates | |
| 3/1/2016 | Presidential caucus |
| 8/9/2016 | State primary |
| 11/8/2016 | General election (nationwide) |
| Ballot access dates | |
| 5/17/2016 | Candidate filing period opens |
| 5/31/2016 | Candidate filing period closes |
Find answers to common questions about voting in Minnesota below.
- How do I register to vote?
- Is there an early voting period?
- Who is eligible for absentee voting?
- What are the voter ID laws in Minnesota?
- What time were the polls open?
General information about voting or getting on the ballot is provided at the following links.
Official elections page: Minnesota Secretary of State - MNVotes
Primary election
See Primary elections in Minnesota.
Elections to watch
- Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District election, 2016
- Minnesota's 8th Congressional District election, 2016
- Minnesota House of Representatives elections, 2016
- Minnesota State Senate elections, 2016
What makes an election notable?
History
Presidential Voting Pattern
The percentages below show Minnesota voter preference in general election presidential races from 2000 to 2012.[1]
For more information, see: Presidential voting trends in Minnesota.
Minnesota vote percentages
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U.S. vote percentages
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See also
Footnotes
Ballotpedia uses these criteria to identify notable elections:
- Incumbents facing more conservative or liberal challengers
- Rematches between candidates
- Elections that receive considerable media attention
- Elections that could significantly affect the state's partisan balance
- Noteworthy elections involving party leaders
- Open, competitive elections with Republican and Democratic primaries
- Elections that capture money and attention from outside groups, including key endorsements
