🗳️ 2026 General Election Results:
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Win or lose, Folk has plans in Hennepin County
Hennepin County Attorney candidate Anders Folk has been busy chatting with people all night at his Park Tavern watch party, but I managed to steal him for a few minutes for an interview.
If Folk were to win tonight, he said he would get started on the action plan he touted on the campaign trail, which includes creating an “accountability task force” for federal agents that violated Minnesota law during Operation Metro Surge, and revising policies for juvenile offenders, “tomorrow.”
But if he were to lose, Folk said he would “keep doing what I’ve been doing my whole life.” He mentioned, for example, serving on the board of three different nonprofits.
“I’m gonna just continue to do what I love, which is take care of my friends and family in the county,” Folk said.
The only thing worse than the Republican’s performance tonight nationally is the WiFi at the DFL party.
Minnesota Dems react to Texas calls
Utter pandemonium at DFL watch party as results from Texas (a new Democratic governor and U.S. senator come in). The lines to the bar are very long.
Still waiting on county results
It’s still NBC on the screen at Cedrick Frazier’s watch party in Northeast, where the official call for Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico drew cheers from the crowd. At some point, presumably, this screen will be showing Hennepin County results. But for now, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website is showing zeros across the board for the county. (For what it’s worth, Hennepin County’s votes came through at 10:27 p.m. during the August primary.)
Fraud selfies at Bloomington GOP party
At the GOP watch party in Bloomington, attendees are periodically wandering over to inspect what appears to be a fraud-themed selfie station, complete with a fake image of the misspelled “Quality Learing Center,” one of the daycare centers raided by the FBI earlier this year, with “1-800-FRAUD” written on the door.
Hopeful waiting game at Tafoya’s watch party
The room is abuzz at U.S. Senate GOP candidate Michele Tafoya’s watch party at the Marriott Southwest in Minnetonka. Attendees are drinking wine, chatting and lingering around tables. They broke into cheers as Fox News’ election coverage showed Tafoya leading her Democratic rival, Peggy Flanagan, by about 15 percentage points in early Minnesota results, with roughly 11% of votes counted.
Disco Democrats
Dems playing 1979 disco songs for a 2026 election party. “Rock With You” by Michael Jackson and “To Be Real” by Cheryl Lynn. The next attendee to dance will be the first one.
Democrats flip two Republican Senate seats in the Carolinas
Democrats have won two Republican U.S. Senate seats – in North Carolina and South Carolina – and are on track to win the two additional seats they need to take control of the U.S. Senate. Still too early to tell how the Democratic Party has done in Minnesota.
‘Turn this up!’
The tidal wave of good news for Democrats nationwide is empowering Cedrick Frazier’s watch party. “Turn this up!” Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley said as she disappeared into the crowd upon hearing Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” over the speakers. Seconds later, someone turned it up.
A ‘vibe shift’ sensed at DFL watch party
The DFL watch party in St. Paul is full of smiling faces and bubbly energy as a large screen TV shows national election returns. (Do not adjust your sets: a Democrat is going to get elected to the U.S. Senate from South Carolina). “This is such a vibe shift from two years ago,” a St. Paul resident who stumped for Peggy Flanagan told me.
Jake Johnson crowd reacts to Democrats’ U.S. House wins
In Rochester, the crowd erupts at Jake Johnson’s watch party as they find out Dems will take control of the U.S. House. Now we wait to see if Johnson will be part of that majority. Results are trickling in.
How often are vote totals updated?
Wondering how often the Minnesota Secretary of State updates election results? Election observer Shannon Watson, executive director of Majority in the Middle, points out that as much as you might want to constantly “refresh, refresh, refresh,” the SOS website is updated every 10 minutes, starting with the first post. The most recent update came at 9:18 p.m., so you can do the math from there. (Hat tip from Watson to former MinnPost reporter Peter Callaghan, who noted the pattern in a 2025 X post.) Better yet, follow the results at MinnPost, which pulls in Associated Press vote tallies. Those come in at different rates than the Secretary of State’s website and are often faster, because they rely on reporters and freelancers on the ground calling in results from counties.
Commissioner Conley predicts history will be made
Hennepin County politicians have no shortage of watch parties to be at tonight, but District 4 Commissioner Angela Conley says she’s here at Cedrick Frazier’s “because Cedrick is going to make history as the first Black Hennepin County Attorney, and I made history eight years ago as the first Black County Commissioner.”
Conley said she’s worked with the two previous county attorneys, Mike Freeman and Mary Moriarty, to get more dollars into victim and witness services. It’s Frazier, she said, whom she hears making that a priority, along with a commitment to prosecuting ICE agents.
Councilmember Rainville sighting at Anders Folk watch party
At the Anders Folk watch party. I am happy to announce that I have again relocated to another indoor area separate from the actual restaurant that has a drier table. This second room is packed, and I could barely get to the back corner where other reporters are. I’ve now made my way through the crowd, where I’ve also spotted Minneapolis City Councilmember Michael Rainville working the room.
There are five TVs in this second room displaying Minnesota election results. No votes are in yet for the Hennepin County Attorney race, but when Folk’s name popped up next to opponent Cedrick Frazier’s, a small group of people near me broke out in cheers, with some pulling out their phones.
High energy at the DFL watch party in St. Paul
Energy at the DFL watch party in downtown St. Paul is high as early election results roll in from across the country showing what looks to be a major blue wave. No sight of DFL candidates Peggy Flanagan, Amy Klobuchar, Keith Ellison, Steve Simon or Zach Filipovich yet, but the night is early.
WATCH: Demuth addresses supporters at GOP election party
Republican candidate for governor Lisa Demuth addressed supporters at GOP watch party shortly after polls closed in Minnesota. Video captured by reporter Cleo Krejci.
Rewatch MinnPost Election Night Live
Rewatch MinnPost Election Night Live, our 8 p.m. livestream with Deon Osborne, Brian Martucci, and Ana Radelet.
The scene at Cedrick Frazier’s watch party…
Hennepin County Attorney candidate Cedrick Frazier’s watch party is much more active than it was during his primary win — due in no small part to Steve Kornacki’s presence on a screen in the room, drawing cheers every time the room sees news of James Talarico’s campaign on the screen, and Commissioner Angela Conley just excitedly announced to the room that Keisha Lance Bottoms has been elected governor of Georgia.
At the Anders Folk watch party. Jacob Frey is here. I’ve also now spotted Anders, who is out on the balcony chatting with attendees. The crowd is lively and the room is packed. I have since changed to a table outside which, much to my chagrin, is wet.
Anders Folk supporters gather in St. Louis Park
After being perpetually damp all day standing outside polling locations, I have made it to drier conditions at Anders Folk's watch party in St. Louis Park, and it's already bustling.
Roughly 30 or so people (and growing) are milling about in the back room of Park Tavern, a bar and grill that also boasts a bowling alley and arcade games. Many attendees sport Folk shirts and pins, and the energy feels optimistic.
Still no sighting of Folk 23 minutes after polls closed, but that could quickly change.
Tafoya: ‘It is very early’
As Minnesota’s polls closed at 8 p.m., a hush fell over the room at U.S. Senate Republican candidate Michele Tafoya’s watch party. Heads turned toward two TVs playing Fox News coverage of election results nationwide.
The room cheered as Tafoya appeared on the screen alongside her opponent, U.S. Senate DFL candidate Peggy Flanagan. Election results are still coming in as votes are counted.
Tafoya took the podium shortly after the polls closed and thanked attendees.
“It is very early,” Tafoya said. “We know that returns are going to take a while, so we’re going to watch them with great interest, great optimism, great hope and great faith.”
Just after the polls closed, GOP governor candidate Lisa Demuth said she’s excited to celebrate tonight. “A fresh start, a change of direction, and moving us forward is about to happen. I look forward to celebrating with you tonight,” Demuth told the crowd at a Hilton hotel in Bloomington.
Jake Johnson supporters are trickling into his watch party in Rochester. Polls just closed.
At a precinct located in the shadow of the Ear of Corn Water Tower earlier, Matthew Wagner said one reason he voted for Johnson is because of incumbent Rep. Brad Finstad’s “lack of presence and interaction with his constituency.” The economy was another deciding factor for Wagner, who commutes an hour to his job as a nurse practitioner.
“I drive a small crossover, but it’s a diesel, which used to be great because it got 35 miles a gallon,” he said. “It now costs me $130 to fill it up every week.”
‘I think just generally, I’m appalled by what’s happening’
Polling sites at Minneapolis’ Marcy Arts Elementary School and Edison High School weren’t particularly packed on Election Day and didn’t have long lines to get in, but a steady stream of people rushed inside to get out of the rain and cast a ballot.
Erika Larson, who voted at Edison with her child, and Fatima Acosta-Mendoza, who voted at Marcy Arts, both cited affordability and cost of living concerns among the main reasons they came out to vote. Both said they wanted candidates who would address the Iran war and coinciding increases to gas and energy prices.
Concern for immigrants and frustration over Operation Metro Surge drove Minneapolitans to the polls, too, including Acosta-Mendoza, who said the issue affected her directly.
“I think just generally, I’m appalled by what’s happening with the federal administration. So especially now in this midterm election where we’re voting for people to be in Washington to represent us, I would like my representation to actually represent me and my values,” she said to me while we huddled together under our umbrellas.
Savannah Tanner, at Marcy Arts, also cited concern for immigrants as a key motivator. She has voted regularly since 2020, she said, but this year saw far more marketing for candidates than in the past.
“I’ve gotten like 20 texts in the last few days, which I just found really crazy,” Tanner said. “But I appreciate it.”
Full story
The biggest inconvenience to Minnesota voters on Election Day: constant rain
“Things have gone very well today,” a spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office said.
📸Photos: Voters cast final ballots in Minnesota
We knew we’d find some voters who waited until the last few hours to cast ballots. And the rain continued.
Tafoya arrives at campaign watch party in Minnetonka
With about 30 minutes to go before polls closed Michele Tafoya entered her campaign watch party at the Minneapolis Marriott Southwest in Minnetonka to cheers from about 50 attendees on Tuesday night.
Tafoya did a loop around the room, hugging and greeting people sitting at the five round tables in the center of the space. A healthy chatter filled the room as Fox News played on two large TVs in the front of the room.
Early U.S. Senate results split in Florida, South Carolina
In a relatively tight race, the Associated Press has called Florida’s Senate contest, with incumbent Republican Sen. Ashley Moody projected to defeat Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon, a democratic socialist. But things are looking shaky for the GOP in South Carolina, where with more than 50% of the vote counted Democrat Annie Andrews (52.3%) is leading incumbent Republican Sen. Darline Graham (46%), who was appointed to succeed her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. The New York Times gives Andrews a 93% chance of winning the race at this hour.
Democrats on track to take back the U.S. House
Democrats are on track to taking back the U.S. House. They are leading in several districts that were not considered in play, including the Indiana district of Rep. Victoria Spartz, a Ukrainian-born Republican.
The GOP is also in trouble in Florida, where three of the five seats the Republicans created to help them keep strength in the U.S. House are being won by Democrats.
Democrats only have to pick up three seats to wrest control of Congress from the Republican Party.
Also, Democrats are leading in five GOP-held U.S. Senate seats.
Minnesota GOP denies entry to Sahan Journal reporter
A Sahan Journal reporter has been denied entry to the Minnesota Republican party election night watch party in Bloomington:
Noah Rouen, an election night party organizer with the state Republican party, told Sahan Journal that gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth’s team intentionally did not respond to Sahan Journal’s request, filed before Tuesday, for the watch party because her campaign did not want the news outlet to attend.
Demuth’s team could not be immediately reached for comment.
Bubble wrap for Demuth
At the Minneapolis College of Art and Design polling place, voters are taking pics of each other by massive rolls of bubble wrap outside the voting booth. “I grew up popping this stuff!” one MCAD student just told me. The maker of the bubble wrap? Uline, founded by Richard Uihlein, which has bankrolled Restore Our Sanity, a Super PAC bankrolling ads for GOP Gov nominee Lisa Demuth.
Affordability, accountability among young voters’ priorities near U of M
Just over a mile from the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus, young voters lined up at Van Cleve Recreation Center to cast their ballots early Tuesday afternoon.
Twenty-three-year-olds Luc Fuller and Henry Bull Oyon said they want compassionate elected officials who will protect social welfare services.
“Affordability is very important,” Bull Oyon said. “Just social goods in general are a big plus for me. I’m a big fan of welfare and services like that for the community.”
Fuller said he wants elected officials who prioritize allocating resources that serve homeless and marginalized communities. He said Minneapolis has good affordable housing initiatives and hopes officials will continue that work.
“I’d like represented officials that aren’t gonna be just letting pass by whatever the Trump administration is gonna set forth,” Fuller said. “That was a big issue for me.”
For 22-year-old Estella Parma, access to affordable health care, food and housing were also at the forefront of her mind as she voted.
“Basic human rights,” Parma said.
Will this relentless rain dampen voter turnout?
Inspired by Matthew Blake’s most recent post, I just went down a digital rabbit hole on the observed impacts of bad weather on voter turnout.
The tl;dr: Research in the U.S. and abroad shows rain and snow events cause modest but significant turnout declines.
In 2023, Danish researchers revisited 34 earlier studies looking at elections in North America, Europe and Asia. They found that turnout drops 1 to 2 percentage points per inch of rainfall.
An older (2007) look at 14 U.S. Presidential elections found turnout declines of just under 1 percentage point per inch of rain and just under 0.5 percentage point per inch of snow.
The rising popularity of early voting has blunted the weather effect, but “marginal” voters who don’t always cast a ballot (and tend to wait until Election Day regardless) may still be discouraged, one of the 2023 study’s authors told the New York Times in 2024.
Hat tip to Spectrum News for surfacing both studies.
📸 Minnesotans leave ‘I Voted’ stickers at Alex Pretti, Renee Good memorials
The unceasing and miserable rain here in Coon Rapids has not deterred voters whose polling place is the city’s Civic Center. The parking lot is packed and a new voter seems to be entering in every minute. The polling site is offering “curbside voting” where, if you call a 763 number, you don't have to enter the gym to vote.
In the 35th District nail-biter between Angie Nelson and GOP incumbent Sen. Jim Abeler, DFLers in safe seats are stumping for Nelson. Zaynab Mohamed was at the DFL volunteer office in Coon Rapids today, and John Hoffman has been door knocking for Nelson as well. Abeler has had productive working relationships with Hoffman and Mohamed on the Human Services committee. But preserving the Dems’ narrow lead in the Senate is more important than maintaining whatever bipartisan comity there is with Abeler.
Walked in the rain for over an hour with DFL state Senate candidate Angie Nelson, who is vying to unseat veteran Republican lawmaker Jim Abeler. Nelson visited Coon Rapids apartments with vinyl siding and ran into a former classmate she had not seen since high school. After unveiling to the classmate her maiden name, he remembered Nelson and announced he would vote for her.
Want to track your ballot?
A quick PSA, courtesy of the countless email blasts I’ve gotten from local elected officials over the past few days:
If you voted by absentee ballot and want to make sure your ballot was received and processed, go to the Secretary of State’s mnvotes.gov webpage and open the absentee ballot tracker tool.
Enter your name, date of birth and the ID number you provided on your absentee ballot application (for most voters, that’s a state ID card number or the last four of your SSN). Then, hit “Find your ballot.” The next screen reveals whether the state has accepted your ballot and, if so, when.
I just checked mine and it took all of 60 seconds.
This tool is only for mail and absentee in-person voting. If you voted early, in person, on October 18 or later and dropped your ballot directly into a ballot counter, the Secretary of State assures “your ballot was accepted and will be counted.”
‘There’s a war going on. That’s a pretty big [issue] for me.’
The polling location was quiet but not empty as voters trickled in and out of Our Savior’s Reformed Church in Brooklyn Park early Tuesday afternoon. Most people were quick to cast their votes and head back to work, school or home, but some lingered to talk about the issues that brought them to the polls.
“There’s a war going on,” said Kris Kuznia, a Brooklyn Park resident, in reference to the U.S. war with Iran. “That’s a pretty big [issue] for me.”
His wife, Hanna Kuznia, agreed, and added that she was excited to have more women candidates to choose from on the ballot. The leading candidates in Minnesota’s governor and Senate races are all women. Regardless of which party wins, Minnesota will make history with its first female governor.
Other voters referenced more local concerns. “I think we should have a little stronger police department, in some ways,” Roy Card, another Brooklyn Park resident, said.
The Twin Cities suburb has seen more than its fair share of safety issues in recent years: In June 2025, Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman were assassinated in their Brooklyn Park home.
Polls are open today until 8pm.
Who are Hennepin County attorney candidates posting with on Election Day?
As voters head to the polls, the candidates for Hennepin County Attorney have starkly different messages going out on social media. Anders Folk’s X and Facebook accounts, for example, are largely focused on reminding voters who endorses him – a list that includes Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, whom he grabbed lunch with downtown on Tuesday.
Cedrick Frazier, on the other hand, is taking a more direct approach, not just flexing his DFL endorsement but posting a graphic titled “Legislative Endorsement Comparison,” putting photos of the 34 state legislators endorsing him next to the mugshot taken after the DWI arrest of Minnesota State Rep. Elliott Engen, who recently called on X for people to vote for Folk.
Bookmark this page for 2026 Minnesota election results live updates and continuing coverage of races across the state.
🗳️ 2026 General Election Results:
Main / Governor / Attorney General / Secretary of State / Auditor / State Senate / State House / Supreme Court / U.S. Senate / U.S. House / Constitutional Amendment / Hennepin & Ramsey / National
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