Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon has officially announced his intention to run for an unprecedented fourth term in office. A prominent member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party, Simon first won the role of the state’s chief election officer back in 2014. His decision to seek re-election in 2026 makes him the second major statewide DFL official to signal their plans for the upcoming election cycle.
The Secretary of State holds a critical position in Minnesota, responsible for overseeing and officially certifying all election results across the state. Beyond managing the polls, the office also handles voter registrations, processes business filings, and runs the “Safe at Home” program, which provides a layer of privacy for victims of domestic violence by keeping their addresses confidential.
In his announcement, Simon spoke openly about the current challenges facing democratic processes. He emphasized his commitment to maintaining and boosting public trust in the state’s election system. He stated that his primary goals for a potential fourth term would be to continue his work in the “democracy business” and to oversee the smooth and fair rollout of significant new election laws recently passed in the state legislature. He also committed to defending Minnesota’s election integrity against what he called “alarming federal power grabs,” stressing his focus on following state law while protecting both voter privacy and election security.
Simon’s tenure has been marked by a focus on making voting more accessible, which he argues contributes to higher public confidence. Under his watch, Minnesota has consistently ranked as one of the states with the highest voter turnout in the nation, something he frequently highlights as a measure of success. For example, in the most recent 2024 general election, Minnesota had an impressive 76.35% voter participation rate, second only to Wisconsin. This figure stands well above the national average turnout of 64.04% for that year. In the 2020 presidential election, Minnesota actually led the nation with 80% of eligible voters casting a ballot. Even in the typically low-turnout 2022 midterm elections, the state maintained a respectable 60% participation rate.
To further increase participation, the state enacted several major election law changes during the 2023 legislative session. Simon’s fourth term would be essential for properly implementing these new processes. The key changes include: Automatic Voter Registration (AVR), where eligible citizens are automatically registered to vote when they apply for or renew a driver’s license or state ID, simplifying the process for millions. Preregistration for 16- and 17-year-olds allows younger residents to sign up to vote before they are legally eligible to cast a ballot, ensuring they are ready to participate on their 18th birthday. A permanent absentee ballot option now allows voters to automatically receive an absentee ballot for every election without having to submit a new request each time. Finally, the laws restored voting rights to felons on supervised release, allowing thousands of Minnesotans to regain their civic rights sooner. Simon and his campaign have argued that navigating these sweeping changes requires the experienced and “steady hand” of an incumbent who understands the system intimately.
So far, Simon’s main challenger is Republican candidate Tad Jude, a former judge who also previously served on the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners and in the Minnesota Legislature. Politically, Simon has proven to be a strong contender. In his last race in 2022, he comfortably won re-election with nearly 55% of the vote. In 2018, he secured 52%. His toughest challenge was his first run in 2014, when he won by a very slim margin of just 1.1% over his Republican opponent, achieving 47% of the total vote.
Should he win, Simon would join a handful of long-serving Secretaries of State in Minnesota history. Mike Holm, a Republican, holds the record, serving from 1921 to 1952. DFLer Joan Growe served 24 years, from 1975 to 1999. In the broader political context, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has also announced he is seeking a third term, reinforcing the DFL party’s current control of all statewide constitutional offices. Minnesota has not elected a Republican to a statewide constitutional office since 2006, setting the stage for another closely watched contest in 2026.
