2.8 Million Minnesotans Voted in 2026 Midterms

Minnesota voters cast a record number of ballots in Tuesday's midterm election. Unofficial numbers from the office of Secretary of State Steve Simon indicate that more than 2.8 million people have voted so far. That figure represents more than 64 percent of the state's eligible voters.

Preliminary estimates from the University of Florida's Election Lab project that Minnesota will post the highest voter turnout rate in the country. These projections differ slightly from the state's own unofficial figures, which are still being updated as local results are finalized.

Republican analyst Preya Samsundar attributed the high participation rates in the Twin Cities to the federal government's immigration surge last winter. She described the action as "excess aggressiveness" that significantly impacted voter behavior. Samsundar noted that Republicans have worked for 10 to 15 years to build coalitions with Black, Hispanic, Asian, and young voters.

Samsundar said those demographic gains, which had been consistent since 2016, were wiped away by the election results. She linked the shift directly to the recent enforcement actions. "I think some of that does have to do with the immigration enforcement," she said.

Democrats secured control of the Minnesota state Legislature and every statewide office in the election. On a national scale, Democrats also won control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The state's high turnout contrasts with the ongoing updates to the official certification process.