Elections
Candidate filing
To become an official candidate, you must file for office. The most common way to file for office is to pay a filing fee and complete an affidavit of candidacy (PDF, 1MB).
You must file during a 2-week filing period. Before filing, make sure you’re qualified.
You may create a campaign finance committee before filing for office. See information about campaign finance reporting.
File with us if you’re a candidate for a
- County office
- State or judicial office and you reside in Hennepin County
Candidates for local offices file at the city or school district.
Affidavit of candidacy and nominating petitions
Complete the affidavit of candidacy
In order to file for office, you need to fill out an affidavit of candidacy (PDF, 1MB).
See the Filing process section to learn where to file the affidavit.
Complete a nominating petition
If you are running as a member of a major political party or for a nonpartisan office, you do not need to file a nominating petition.
If you are running for a partisan office but not as a member of a major political party, then you must file a nominating petition (PDF, 1MB) with the required number of signatures.
The number of signatures you need depends on what office you are running for.
- You need 500 signatures for county, state legislative and judicial.
- You need 2,000 signatures for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Auditor, Secretary of State.
- The signatures must be of eligible voters who live in the district.
- You must get the signature during the filing period. (Election calendar)
Filing process
File in person or by mail.
Who can file at Hennepin County?
- Candidates for County Commissioner, Three Rivers Park Board, County Sheriff, County Attorney
- Candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Auditor, Secretary of State, State Senator, State Representative, and any Judicial office – IF the candidate resides in Hennepin County
- Other candidates file at other locations
2026 filing periods
You must file or withdraw during these dates.
Offices with a potential primary
- File from May 19 until June 2 at 5 p.m.
- Withdrawal period ends - June 4 at 5 p.m.
Offices without a primary
- File from July 14 until July 28 at 5 p.m.
- Withdrawal period ends - July 30 at 5 p.m.
Payment options
You may pay the fee with a check (made out to Hennepin County Treasurer) or submit a petition in place of the fee.
- County offices – $50
- State Senator and State Representative – $100
- Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Auditor, Secretary of State – $300
- Judicial offices – $300
- Petition in place of filing fee
- Combined nominating petition and petition in place of filing fee (PDF, 1MB)
To file
Affidavit and petition or payment must be received during the filing period.
Submit your affidavit of candidacy (PDF, 1MB) and payment or petition in person or by mail to:
Hennepin County Elections
Hennepin County Government Center
300 S Sixth St, MC 680
Minneapolis, MN 55487-0012
If you file by mail, we’ll email you receipt confirmation and mail a candidate filing packet.
Candidate qualifications
All candidates must:
- Be eligible to vote in Minnesota
- Not have filed for another office at the upcoming primary or general election
- Be 21 years of age or more upon taking office
- Have maintained residence in their district for at least 30 days before the general election
Governor or Lieutenant Governor
These candidates must:
- Have participated in the party's most recent precinct caucuses, or intend to vote for a majority of the party's candidates at the next general election
- Be at least 25 years old upon assuming office
- Be a resident of Minnesota for at least 1 year before the general election
Judicial Offices
These candidates must:
- Be licensed to practice law in Minnesota
- Not be over 70 years of age before the first Monday of next January
State Senator or Representative
These candidates must:
- Be a resident of Minnesota for at least 1 year before the general election
- Be a resident of their district for at least 6 months before the general election
County Sheriff
- Must be licensed as a peace officer in Minnesota
Holding 2 offices at the same time
- Minnesota Statutes provide that 1 person cannot hold certain combinations of offices at the same time, with very few exceptions.
Campaign practices
Campaign signs
Your city may have ordinances restricting the number and size of campaign signs.
If your city doesn't have a local ordinance, campaign signs may be posted in any size or any number.
If your city has a local ordinance, campaign signs may be posted in any size or any number from 46 days before the state primary through 10 days following the state general election in an even year.
Right of way information from MnDOT
Multiple unit dwellings
Candidates and accompanying campaign volunteers are allowed access to multiple unit facilities (i.e. apartment, dormitory, nursing home).
They may knock on doors of individual units, conduct voter registration activities, and leave campaign materials for residents.
This access:
- Does not include admittance into a particular apartment, room, or residential unit
- Requires identification as a prerequisite
- Limits visits to a reasonable number of persons and reasonable hours
- Requires a prior appointment to gain access to the facility
Campaigning near or within the polling place
Campaigning is not allowed inside the polling place or within 100 feet of the building.
If the polling place is on public property, no one can campaign anywhere on the property, even beyond 100 feet.
You can't display campaign t-shirts, buttons, or literature relating to specific candidates, official political parties, or ballot questions on the ballot that day. These political materials will need to be covered up or removed while in the polling place.
Violations of fair campaign practices should be submitted to the Office of Administrative Hearings.
Minnesota Secretary of State - Campaigning
Cybersecurity Campaign Playbook