Minnesota Primary Election Results 2026 LIVE: Minnesota’s August 11 primary has become one of the most closely watched contests of the 2026 election cycle, with an open U.S. Senate seat at the center of the political battle. The Democratic Farmer Labor primary pits four-term U.S. Rep. Angie Craig against Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, creating a direct test of the party’s moderate and progressive wings and republicans are also choosing nominees in several major statewide races.
Minnesota Primary Election Results 2026 LIVE: Polls Close At 8 pm
Minnesota voters went to the polls on Tuesday, August 11. Polling places were scheduled to open at 7 am Central Time and close at 8 pm CT, not 7 pm as sometimes reported. Early voting had been available from June 26 through August 10.
Minnesota Primary Election Results 2026 LIVE: Voter Turnout
Turnout is a major factor in a primary where enthusiasm can matter as much as candidate preference and the state’s election system covers 87 counties and 4,105 precincts. The official results system also tracks statewide reporting and registered voters because primary participation is generally lower than in November elections, a relatively small shift among highly motivated voters can reshape the result, particularly in the Senate contest.
Minnesota Primary Election Results 2026 LIVE: Trump’s Justice Department Sends Election Monitors
The U.S. Department of Justice deployed approximately 20 staff members to monitor polling locations in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, Minnesota’s two largest counties. The personnel came from the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Minnesota. The DOJ said the monitoring is intended to promote transparency, ballot security and compliance with federal voting laws and the department said it had already deployed more than 50 monitors across seven counties during the primary season.
In a press release, the justice department said that it has deployed approximately 20 staff from the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section and Minnesota’s US attorney’s office to continue “its nationwide effort to ensure free and fair elections”.
“This dangerous political “experiment” in New York will destroy what was once a great City and State,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. On Monday, a state judge temporarily blocked the tax, which would place a surcharge on second homes, after homeowners filed a lawsuit against the mayor and city officials.
Trump said today that the policy is actually costing New York more – by forcing “tens of thousands” of people to leave the city “never to return”.
“It is pure Amateur Hour, and it’s hard, as President of the United States of America, to sit back and watch it happen, especially to a place I once loved,” Trump added. “Financial, and then Social, RUIN, is a 100% certainty … This doesn’t work in America, and must be stopped, NOW!”
The tax would apply to people who own, but do not reside full-time in, any house worth more than $5m, or a condominium or cooperative unit worth at least $1m.
Minnesota Primary Election Results 2026 LIVE: Key Races To Watch
- U.S. Senate, DFL: Angie Craig vs. Peggy Flanagan.
- Governor, Republican: Lisa Demuth, Mike Lindell, Kendall Qualls and others.
- Governor, DFL: Amy Klobuchar and other Democratic candidates.
- Attorney General: Keith Ellison and Democratic challengers.
- State legislative races: All 67 state Senate seats and 134 House seats are on the 2026 general-election ballot, with primary contests determining some nominees.
The Senate contest is the clearest statewide ideological showdown, while the Republican governor’s primary is also attracting national attention because of Trump’s influence.
Minnesota Primary Election Results 2026 LIVE: Key Candidates
- Angie Craig: Four-term Democratic congresswoman arguing that electoral competitiveness should guide the party’s Senate strategy.
- Peggy Flanagan: Minnesota’s lieutenant governor and DFL-endorsed Senate candidate representing the party’s progressive wing.
- Lisa Demuth: Minnesota House speaker and Republican gubernatorial contender.
- Mike Lindell: Businessman and prominent Trump ally running for governor.
- Kendall Qualls: Republican businessman competing for the GOP nomination.
- Amy Klobuchar: Democratic senator seeking the party’s nomination for governor.
Flanagan won the DFL endorsement in May after Craig chose to bypass the convention and take her campaign directly to the August primary.
Minnesota Primary Election Results 2026 LIVE: What The Latest Polls Show
Polling has suggested an advantage for Flanagan, although the size of that lead has varied substantially while earlier surveys included a GQR poll showing Flanagan at 49% and Craig at 36%, while an Impact Research survey put the candidates at 45% and 42%, respectively. A later PPP survey also showed Flanagan ahead and the polling range underlines why the race should not be treated as settled before all votes are counted.
Minnesota Primary Election Results 2026 LIVE: When Will Primary Election Results Be Announced?
Initial numbers began arriving after polls closed at 8 pm CT however, election-night totals remain unofficial. Minnesota’s State Canvassing Board is scheduled to certify state and federal primary results on August 18, 2026. That distinction matters in a close race. Early county totals can shift as additional precincts report and outstanding ballots are processed.
How To Check Minnesota Primary Election Results Live
- Visit the official Minnesota Secretary of State election results portal.
- Select the U.S. Senate race to follow Craig and Flanagan.
- Review statewide, county and precinct-level results.
- Check the reporting percentage before drawing conclusions.
- Remember that election-night figures are unofficial.
- Look for the August 18 State Canvassing Board certification.
The state’s results system says downloadable election files are updated every 15 minutes or less on election night.
Minnesota Primary Election Results 2026 LIVE: Key Details
| Election detail | 2026 information |
| Primary Election Day | Aug. 11, 2026 |
| Early voting | June 26-Aug. 10 |
| Poll opening | 7 a.m. CT |
| Poll closing | 8 p.m. CT |
| Senate race to watch | Craig vs. Flanagan |
| DOJ monitoring counties | Hennepin and Ramsey |
| DOJ personnel deployed there | About 20 |
| Counties in Minnesota | 87 |
| State precincts | 4,105 |
| Certification | Aug. 18, 2026 |
| General Election | Nov. 3, 2026 |
Minnesota’s primary is ultimately about more than selecting nominees. The Senate contest is also a referendum on what kind of Democrat voters want representing the state in Washington, while the Republican contests offer an early measure of Trump’s continuing influence with the state’s general election scheduled for November 3, the August 11 results are the first major marker in what promises to be a closely watched Minnesota campaign season.
Disclaimer: Election-night figures are preliminary and may change until Minnesota officials complete county canvassing and certify results on Aug. 18.
