Who is running for Secretary of State in Minnesota in 2026?

Steve Simon (D), Seth Kuhl-Stennes (Green), Tad Jude (R), George "Chip" Tangen (Libertarian)

When is the Minnesota 2026 general election?

Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Minnesota › Races › Secretary of State

Secretary of State — Minnesota 2026

4 candidates on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot (official Minnesota Secretary of State files, as of October 29, 2026). Grades reflect each candidate's public record on life, family, religious liberty, the Second Amendment, limited government and fiscal responsibility.

See this race on your own ballot — with your county, city and school races.
Build my ballot →
 Download the iPhone app

Candidates

FSteve SimonDemocratic

Minnesota Secretary of State since 2015 and former state representative; DFL candidate for a fourth term.

LifeFFamilyFReligious libertyC2nd AmendmentDLimited gov’tFFiscalF

Recorded 0% with MCCL and the Minnesota Family Council and 100% with Pro-Choice Minnesota and OutFront Minnesota as a legislator; 0% ACU and 7% Taxpayers League scores.

Life: MCCL 0% (2012) and Pro-Choice Minnesota 100% (2012) as a state representative; did not respond to MCCL's 2026 survey.
Family: Minnesota Family Council 0% (2012); OutFront Minnesota 100% (2007).
Religious liberty: No specific position found.
2nd Amendment: No specific position found; party inference.
Limited gov’t: American Conservative Union Minnesota 0% (2014).
Fiscal: Taxpayers League of Minnesota 7% (2012); NFIB Minnesota 20% (2011-12).

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4]

Ballotpedia

N/RSeth Kuhl-StennesGreen

Minneapolis union organizer with the Land Stewardship Project; Green Party candidate for secretary of state.

No meaningful positions on the six values found; did not respond to MCCL's survey and iVoterGuide rates him Liberal.

Sources: [1] [2] [3]

Ballotpedia

BTad JudeRepublican

Former state legislator and district court judge; Republican candidate for secretary of state.

LifeAFamilyBReligious libertyB2nd AmendmentBLimited gov’tBFiscalB

Answered yes to all 10 questions on MCCL's 2026 state-office pro-life survey; supports photo ID to vote. iVoterGuide rates him Conservative; few other positions found.

Life: Answered yes to all 10 MCCL 2026 survey questions for state constitutional offices.
Family: No specific position found; iVoterGuide rates him Conservative.
Religious liberty: No specific position found.
2nd Amendment: No specific position found.
Limited gov’t: Supports requiring photo ID to vote and using the federal SAVE database; no broader limited-government record captured.
Fiscal: No specific position found.

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4]

Ballotpedia

N/RGeorge "Chip" TangenLibertarian

Inver Grove Heights consultant and former legislative counsel; Libertarian candidate for secretary of state.

No meaningful positions on the six values found; did not respond to MCCL's survey and iVoterGuide rates him Moderate.

Sources: [1] [2] [3]

Ballotpedia

More Minnesota 2026 races

United States Senator · Governor and Lieutenant Governor · Attorney General · State Auditor · Associate Justice - Supreme Court 1 · Associate Justice - Supreme Court 4 · Judge - Court of Appeals 1 · Judge - Court of Appeals 7 · Judge - Court of Appeals 13 · Judge - Court of Appeals 15 · Judge - Court of Appeals 18