Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon announced Tuesday he’ll seek a fourth term in office. He’s the second statewide DFL official to announce his intent to run in 2026.
Simon, a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, was first elected secretary of state in 2014. In his announcement, he said he hoped to use a fourth term to continue boosting confidence in the election system and implement recent changes to state election laws.
“I’m in the democracy business, and these are challenging times for that line of work,” Simon said in a news release. He said he’d keep “pushing back against alarming federal power grabs that seek control over our elections. I’ll follow the law, while protecting the privacy of our eligible voters and the integrity of our elections.”
Simon’s main challenger so far is Republican candidate Tad Jude, a former judge who served on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners and in the Minnesota Legislature.
The secretary of state oversees and certifies the results of Minnesota elections, handles voter registrations and business filings and preserves documents filed with the state. It also runs the state Safe at Home Program, which helps domestic violence victims keep their addresses private.
Minnesota often tops voter turnout among U.S. states, something Simon has often pointed to as a sign the state has a well-run election system with high public trust.
In 2024 Minnesota was only second to Wisconsin in voter participation, with 76.35%. Nationally, 64.04% eligible voters cast a ballot, according to the University of Florida Election Lab.
Minnesota led the nation with 80% of eligible voters casting a ballot in 2020. In the 2022 midterm elections, which typically see lower turnout, Minnesota had 60% voter participation.
Simon has overseen major changes to voter eligibility during his tenure. Under new laws enacted during the 2023 legislative session, voters are now automatically registered when they apply for a driver’s license.
Past that, there is now preregistration for 16- and 17-year-olds, a permanent absentee ballot option. Felons on supervised release are now also eligible to vote. Simon’s campaign said all those new changes will require a “steady hand.”
Simon handily won reelection in 2022 with nearly 55% of the vote. In 2018, he won with 52%. The tightest race he had for secretary of state was his first in 2014, when he got 47% of the vote — just 1.1% more than his Republican challenger.
It’s not unprecedented for a secretary of state to seek more than two terms — Republican Mary Kiffmeyer, who served from 1999 to 2007, lost to DFLer Mark Ritchie in 2006. Ritchie served two terms.
The longest-serving secretary of state was Mike Holm, a Republican who served from 1921 to 1952. DFLer Joan Growe served 24 years, from 1975 to 1999.
Related Articles
Trump’s attacks on Minnesota’s Somali community cast a spotlight on fraud cases
What should St. Paul Mayor-elect Kaohly Her focus on in 2026?
Joe Soucheray: Walz can’t — or won’t — explain the fraud under his watch
Minnesota projects $2.5B surplus for now, $3B shortfall later in decade
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell files paperwork to run for MN governor
Meanwhile, Gov. Tim Walz announced he’d be running for a third term in September. DFLers control all statewide constitutional offices. No Republican has won a statewide race since 2006.
State auditor Julie Blaha does not plan to run for a third term in 2026. Attorney General Keith Ellison has not announced his plans yet. If he runs, he’d be seeking a third term.
Leave a Reply