Elections in Minnesota
Employees in Minnesota are allowed time off from work to vote on the morning of Election Day. Minnesota is also one of the first states to adopt same-day registration in the 1970s. Minnesota is known for a politically active citizenry, with populism being a longstanding force among the state's political parties. Minnesota has consistently high voter turnout; in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, 77.8% of eligible Minnesotans voted – the highest percentage of any U.S. state or territory – versus the national average of 61.7%. This was due in part to its same day voter registration laws; previously unregistered voters can register on election day, at their polls, with evidence of residency.
| Elections in Minnesota |
|---|
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 1,484,065 | 45.28% | 1,717,077 | 52.40% | 76,029 | 2.32% |
| 2016 | 1,323,232 | 44.93% | 1,367,825 | 46.44% | 254,176 | 8.63% |
| 2012 | 1,320,225 | 44.96% | 1,546,167 | 52.65% | 70,169 | 2.39% |
| 2008 | 1,275,409 | 43.82% | 1,573,354 | 54.06% | 61,606 | 2.12% |
| 2004 | 1,346,695 | 47.61% | 1,445,014 | 51.09% | 36,678 | 1.30% |
| 2000 | 1,109,659 | 45.50% | 1,168,266 | 47.91% | 160,760 | 6.59% |
| 1996 | 766,476 | 34.96% | 1,120,438 | 51.10% | 305,726 | 13.94% |
| 1992 | 747,841 | 31.85% | 1,020,997 | 43.48% | 579,110 | 24.66% |
| 1988 | 962,337 | 45.90% | 1,109,471 | 52.91% | 24,982 | 1.19% |
| 1984 | 1,032,603 | 49.54% | 1,036,364 | 49.72% | 15,482 | 0.74% |
| 1980 | 873,241 | 42.56% | 954,174 | 46.50% | 224,538 | 10.94% |
| 1976 | 819,395 | 42.02% | 1,070,440 | 54.90% | 60,096 | 3.08% |
| 1972 | 898,269 | 51.58% | 802,346 | 46.07% | 41,037 | 2.36% |
| 1968 | 658,643 | 41.46% | 857,738 | 54.00% | 72,129 | 4.54% |
| 1964 | 559,624 | 36.00% | 991,117 | 63.76% | 3,721 | 0.24% |
| 1960 | 757,915 | 49.16% | 779,933 | 50.58% | 4,039 | 0.26% |
| 1956 | 719,302 | 53.68% | 617,525 | 46.08% | 3,178 | 0.24% |
| 1952 | 763,211 | 55.33% | 608,458 | 44.11% | 7,814 | 0.57% |
| 1948 | 483,617 | 39.89% | 692,966 | 57.16% | 35,643 | 2.94% |
| 1944 | 527,416 | 46.86% | 589,864 | 52.41% | 8,249 | 0.73% |
| 1940 | 596,274 | 47.66% | 644,196 | 51.49% | 10,718 | 0.86% |
| 1936 | 350,461 | 31.01% | 698,811 | 61.84% | 80,703 | 7.14% |
| 1932 | 363,959 | 36.29% | 600,806 | 59.91% | 38,078 | 3.80% |
| 1928 | 560,977 | 57.77% | 396,451 | 40.83% | 13,548 | 1.40% |
| 1924 | 420,759 | 51.18% | 55,913 | 6.80% | 345,474 | 42.02% |
| 1920 | 519,421 | 70.59% | 142,994 | 19.43% | 73,423 | 9.98% |
| 1916 | 179,544 | 46.35% | 179,152 | 46.25% | 28,668 | 7.40% |
| 1912 | 64,334 | 19.25% | 106,426 | 31.84% | 163,459 | 48.91% |
| 1908 | 195,843 | 59.11% | 109,401 | 33.02% | 26,060 | 7.87% |
| 1904 | 216,651 | 73.98% | 55,187 | 18.84% | 21,022 | 7.18% |
| 1900 | 190,461 | 60.21% | 112,901 | 35.69% | 12,949 | 4.09% |
| 1896 | 193,503 | 56.62% | 139,735 | 40.89% | 8,524 | 2.49% |
| 1892 | 122,823 | 45.96% | 100,920 | 37.76% | 43,495 | 16.28% |
| 1888 | 142,492 | 54.12% | 104,385 | 39.65% | 16,408 | 6.23% |
| 1884 | 111,685 | 58.78% | 70,065 | 36.87% | 8,267 | 4.35% |
| 1880 | 93,902 | 62.28% | 53,315 | 35.36% | 3,553 | 2.36% |
| 1876 | 72,955 | 58.80% | 48,587 | 39.16% | 2,533 | 2.04% |
| 1872 | 55,708 | 61.27% | 35,211 | 38.73% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1868 | 43,722 | 60.88% | 28,096 | 39.12% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1864 | 25,055 | 59.06% | 17,367 | 40.94% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1860 | 22,069 | 63.53% | 11,920 | 34.31% | 748 | 2.15% |
In a 2020 study, Minnesota was ranked as the 15th easiest state for citizens to vote in.