Filing for Other State Constitutional Offices

Aside from Governor and Lieutenant Governor, state constitutional offices include Attorney General, State Auditor, and Secretary of State. Each office appears on the ballot every four years--the next time will be in 2026. See About State Constitutional Offices below for more information about the responsibilities of these positions.

Qualifications

Candidates for state constitutional offices must:

• be eligible to vote in Minnesota
• have not filed for another office at the upcoming primary or general election
• be at least 21 years old upon assuming office
• be a resident of Minnesota for at least one year before the general election

How to File

Major political party candidates

Candidates of major political parties must submit the affidavit of candidacy and $300 filing fee from May 19, 2026 to June 2, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Candidates may file with the Secretary of State, or the county auditor of the county in which the candidate resides.

• Major party candidates must have participated in that party's most recent precinct caucus or intend to vote for a majority of that party's candidates at the next general election (Minn. Stat. 204B.06, subd. 2)
• Instead of paying the filing fee, candidates may submit a Petition in Place of Filing Fee. The petition requires at least 2,000 signatures.

Non-major political party candidates

Candidates of minor political parties, other political parties, or independent candidates must submit the affidavit of candidacy and a nominating petition (see below) from May 19, 2026 to June 2, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Candidates may file with the Secretary of State, or the county auditor of the county in which the candidate resides.

• Most candidates use the Combined Nominating Petition and Petition in Place of Filing Fee. The petition requires at least 2,000 signatures. All signatures must be obtained during the filing period.
• Alternatively, candidates could submit the Nominating Petition and pay the $300 filing fee. The petition requires at least 2,000 signatures. All signatures must be obtained during the filing period.

Withdrawal

A candidate who has filed for office may remove their name from the ballot by filing an affidavit of withdrawal. Candidates may withdraw within the filing period, or by 5:00 p.m. within two days of the end of the filing period. The affidavit of withdrawal is filed with the same filing officer where the original affidavit of candidacy was filed.

Major party candidates may withdraw after this deadline in some cases for a catastrophic illness if:

• The candidate has been diagnosed with a catastrophic illness that will permanently and continuously incapacitate the candidate and prevent the candidate from performing the duties of the office; and
• The candidate or the candidate’s legal guardian files a certificate signed by at least 2 licensed physicians verifying that the illness meets the requirements. (Minn. Stat. 204B.13, subd. 1 (b))

Write-In Candidates

A write-in candidate for state constitutional office must file a written request for their votes to be counted. This request must be filed with the Secretary of State not more than 84 days before the primary and no later than 5:00 p.m. on the 19th day before the general election.

About State Constitutional Offices

Attorney General

Provides legal services to state agencies, boards and commissions and represents the state in court cases. The Attorney General enforces laws on behalf of people and protects public rights relating to affordable housing, student loans, consumer protections and more.

State Auditor

Oversees expenditures by local governments, performs audits of their financial statements, and reviews documents, data, reports, and complaints reported to the Office.

Secretary of State

Acts as the chief election official and oversees the enactment of election laws and training of county elections staff. They also certify official state documents and register businesses and nonprofit organizations.