Filing For Office

2026 Election Dates

  • Primary Election – August 11, 2026
  • General Election – November 3, 2026

Candidate filing is the process through which candidates have their names placed on the ballot. 

Candidate Filing Dates

Early Filing Period - May 19, 2026 - June 2, 2026 (Federal, State, County, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, Cities/School Districts with a primary.)

Late Filing Period - July 14, 2026-July 28, 2026 (Cities without a primary, Towns with November Elections, School Districts without a primary)

Requirements for Running for Office

The filing requirements, filing dates and filing locations depend on the office. To run for any office, a candidate must meet the following requirements:

  • Be a citizen of the United States.
  • Be an eligible voter.
  • Pay all filing fees or present a Petition in Place of Filing Fee as allowed by statute.  Complete an Affidavit of Candidacy.
  • Complete and file Campaign Finance Reports.

Additional office-specific requirements can be found here.

Additional information and forms can be found on the Secretary of State website.

Filing fees

Filing fees are non-refundable per Minnesota Statute 204B.11

  • U.S. Senator: $400
  • U.S. Representative: $300
  • State Senator or Representative: $100
  • Judicial Officer: $300
  • County Office: $50
  • Soil & Water Conservation Dist. Supervisor: $20
  • City of Albert Lea Offices: $25
  • Township Offices: $2
  • School District Offices: $2

Additional Candidate Resources