Secretary of State State Executive Office

Elections: 1857-present. Elections for Secretary of State were held for two-year terms in odd-numbered years beginning in 1857. A constitutional amendment was passed in 1883 requiring state elections to be held in even-numbered years beginning in 1886 with the winner for Secretary of State in 1883 serving a three-year term. From 1886 through 1960, the term for Secretary of State remained two years - increasing to four years in 1962. Primaries for Secretary of State were first held in September 1912. There have never been term limits for this office.

Most recent elections

Date Office Stage Winners Details
11/08/2022 Secretary of State General Steve Simon (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 1,345,685 votes (54.53%) and a winning margin of +9.15
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Steve Simon Incumbent Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 1,345,685 54.53
Kim Crockett Woman Republican 1,119,949 45.38
Steve Carlson Man Write-In 15 0.00

Secretary of State Simon was reelected to a third term. It was the fifth consecutive DFL win for the office - one shy of tying the party record.

Crockett was an attorney from Excelsior.

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08/09/2022 Secretary of State Primary Steve Simon (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 285,314 votes (72.51%) and a winning margin of +45.03
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Steve Simon Incumbent Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 285,314 72.51
Steve Carlson Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 108,144 27.49

Secretary of State Simon was renominated for a third term.
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08/09/2022 Secretary of State Primary Kim Crockett (Republican) won with 190,156 votes (63.15%) and a winning margin of +26.31
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Kim Crockett Woman Republican 190,156 63.15
Erik van Mechelen Man Republican 110,940 36.85

Crockett was an attorney from Excelsior.

Van Mechelen was a writer and editor from Minneapolis.

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11/06/2018 Secretary of State General Steve Simon (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 1,328,502 votes (52.25%) and a winning margin of +8.63
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Steve Simon Incumbent Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 1,328,502 52.25
John S. Howe Man Republican 1,109,093 43.62
William Denney Man Independence 103,610 4.08
Raul Estrada Man Write-In 13 0.00

Secretary of State Simon was reelected to a second term. This was the first election for Secretary of State since 1994 in which the winner received a majority of the vote - ending a string of five consecutive plurality winners.

Howe was a property owner from Red Wing, former state Senator (HD 28, 2011-2013), and 2nd CD candidate in 2016.

Denney was a compliance officer at a plastics manufacturing company from Minneapolis.

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11/04/2014 Secretary of State General Steve Simon (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 901,450 votes (47.04%) and a winning margin of +1.17
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Steve Simon Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 901,450 47.04
Dan Severson Man Republican 879,022 45.87
Bob Helland Man Independence 94,065 4.91
Bob Odden Man Libertarian 40,729 2.13

Simon was an attorney from St. Louis Park and state Representative (HD 44A, 2005-2013; HD 46B, 2013-2015).

Severson was a retired U.S. Navy pilot, former state Representative (HD 14A, 2003-2011), and GOP Secretary of State nominee in 2010.

Helland was a Department of Public Safety employee from St. Paul, DFL candidate for the 6th CD in 2016, and Republican candidate for HD 46B in 2018.

Odden was a civil engineer from Columbia Heights, Libertarian nominee for SD 62 in 1996, state Auditor in 1998, and the 3rd CD in 2000.

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