Governor of Minnesota
| Minnesota Governor | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $149,550 |
| 2024-25 FY Budget: | $17,346,000 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Four years |
| Authority: | Minnesota Constitution, Article V, Section I the Executive Department |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder | |
Governor of Minnesota
Tim Walz | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 3, 2026 |
| Last election: | November 8, 2022 |
| Other Minnesota Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Commerce Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Utilities Commission | |
The Governor of the State of Minnesota is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch and the highest state office in Minnesota. The governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and has no term limit.[1]
Minnesota has a divided government where neither party holds a trifecta. The Democratic Party controls the office of governor and the upper chamber of the state legislature. Control of the lower chamber of the state legislature is split between parties.
Minnesota has a Democratic triplex. The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
Current officer
The 41st and current governor is Tim Walz (D). Walz was first elected in 2018 and took office in January 2019.[2]
Authority
The state Constitution addresses the office of the governor in Article V, the Executive Department.[1]
Under Article V, Section I:
|
The executive department consists of a governor...[1] |
Qualifications
| State Executives |
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| Current Governors |
| Gubernatorial Elections |
| 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 |
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| Lt. Governor Elections |
| 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 |
Under Article V, Section 2 of the state constitution, the term of office of the governor of Minnesota is four years. Candidates must:[1]
- be at least 25 years old
- be a U.S. citizen
- have been a Minnesota resident for one year before the election
Elections
Minnesota elects governors in the midterm elections, that is, even years that are not presidential election years. For Minnesota, 2018, 2022, 2026, 2030, and 2034 are all gubernatorial election years. Legally, the gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the first Monday in the January following an election.
2022
General election
General election for Governor of Minnesota
The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Minnesota on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Tim Walz (D) | 52.3 | 1,312,349 | |
| Scott Jensen (R) | 44.6 | 1,119,941 | ||
 | James McCaskel (Legal Marijuana Now Party) | 1.2 | 29,346 | |
| Steve Patterson (Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota) | 0.9 | 22,599 | ||
| Hugh McTavish (Independence-Alliance Party of Minnesota) | 0.7 | 18,156 | ||
| Gabrielle Prosser (Socialist Workers Party) | 0.3 | 7,241 | |
| Joyce Lacey (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 11 | ||
| Mohamed Mourssi-Alfash (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 5 | |
| Loner Blue (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 4 | ||
| Joshua Olgbolahan Jubril (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 0 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 1,009 | ||
| Total votes: 2,510,661 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Cory Hepola (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Minnesota
Incumbent Tim Walz defeated Ole Savior in the Democratic primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Tim Walz | 96.5 | 416,973 | |
| Ole Savior | 3.5 | 14,950 | ||
| Total votes: 431,923 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Minnesota
Scott Jensen defeated Joyce Lacey and Bob Carney Jr. in the Republican primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Scott Jensen | 89.3 | 288,499 | |
| Joyce Lacey | 6.6 | 21,308 | ||
| Bob Carney Jr. | 4.1 | 13,213 | ||
| Total votes: 323,020 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Mike Murphy (R)
- Neil Shah (R)
- Michelle Benson (R)
- Paul Gazelka (R)
- Mike Marti (R)
- Kendall Qualls (R)
- Richard Stanek (R)
- Scott Magie (R)
Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota primary election
Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota primary for Governor of Minnesota
Steve Patterson defeated Darrell Paulsen in the Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party of Minnesota primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Steve Patterson | 59.1 | 1,003 | |
| Darrell Paulsen | 40.9 | 693 | |
| Total votes: 1,696 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Legal Marijuana Now Party primary election
Legal Marijuana Now Party primary for Governor of Minnesota
James McCaskel defeated Chris Wright in the Legal Marijuana Now Party primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | James McCaskel | 51.9 | 1,461 |
| Chris Wright | 48.1 | 1,356 | ||
| Total votes: 2,817 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
General election
General election for Governor of Minnesota
Tim Walz defeated Jeff Johnson, Chris Wright, and Josh Welter in the general election for Governor of Minnesota on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Tim Walz (D) | 53.8 | 1,393,096 | |
| Jeff Johnson (R) | 42.4 | 1,097,705 | ||
| Chris Wright (Grassroots Party) | 2.7 | 68,667 | ||
| Josh Welter (L) | 1.0 | 26,735 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 1,084 | ||
| Total votes: 2,587,287 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Christopher Seymore (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Minnesota
Tim Walz defeated Erin Murphy, Lori Swanson, Tim Holden, and Ole Savior in the Democratic primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Tim Walz | 41.6 | 242,832 | |
| Erin Murphy | 32.0 | 186,969 | ||
| Lori Swanson | 24.6 | 143,517 | ||
| Tim Holden | 1.1 | 6,398 | ||
| Ole Savior | 0.7 | 4,019 | ||
| Total votes: 583,735 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Tina Liebling (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Minnesota
Jeff Johnson defeated Tim Pawlenty and Matt Kruse in the Republican primary for Governor of Minnesota on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jeff Johnson | 52.6 | 168,841 | |
| Tim Pawlenty | 43.9 | 140,743 | ||
| Matt Kruse | 3.5 | 11,330 | |
| Total votes: 320,914 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
2014
| Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Mark Dayton/Tina Smith Incumbent |
50.1% | 989,113 | |
| Republican | Jeff Johnson/Bill Kuisle | 44.5% | 879,257 | |
| Independence | Hannah Nicollet/Tim Gieseke | 2.9% | 56,900 | |
| Grassroots Party | Chris Wright/David Daniels | 1.6% | 31,259 | |
| Libertarian | Chris Holbrook/Chris Dock | 0.9% | 18,082 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.1% | 1,134 | |
| Total Votes | 1,975,745 | |||
| Election results via Minnesota Secretary of State | ||||
Term limits
- See also: States with gubernatorial term limits
Minnesota governors do not face any term limits.
Partisan composition
The chart below shows the partisan breakdown of Minnesota governors from 1992 to 2013.
Vacancies
- See also: How gubernatorial vacancies are filled
Details of vacancy appointments are addressed under Article V, Section 5.
At any time that the governor is unable to discharge the office, the Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota succeeds to the office. In the event of a vacancy in the lieutenant governorship, the least elected presiding officer of the Senate, which is to say, the Senate President Pro Tem shall succeed to that office.
Duties
The constitutionally prescribed duties and powers of the governor are quite lean compared to some other states. Minnesota's governor is the commander-in-chief of the state's militia and naval forces and is charged with upholding and seeing to the faithful execution of all laws.
Along with the Attorney General of Minnesota and the Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, the governor sits on the state Board of Pardons. However, the power of pardon does not extend to cases of impeachment. (§ 7)[1]
Other duties and privileges of the office include:
- Requesting written opinions from any executive officer on any matter relating to that officer's duties
- Making appointments, with the advice and consent of the Senate, when the offices of the Secretary of State, Attorney General, Auditor, and other state and district offices not otherwise provided for by law become vacant
- Appointing Commissioners
- Appointing notaries public
Divisions
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the Governor of Minnesota has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
State budget
Role in state budget
- See also: Minnesota state budget and finances
The state operates on a biennial budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[3]
- Budget instructions are sent to state agencies between May and June of the year preceding the start of the new biennium.
- State agencies submit their budget requests to the governor by October 15.
- The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature on the fourth Tuesday in January. This deadline is extended to the third Tuesday in February for a newly elected governor.
- The legislature typically adopts a budget in May. A simple majority is required to pass a budget. The biennium begins on July 1 of odd-numbered years.[4]
Minnesota is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.[3][5]
The governor is legally required to submit a balanced budget proposal. Likewise, the legislature is legally required to pass a balanced budget.[3]
Governor's office budget
The Office of Governor and Lieutenant Governor's budget for fiscal year 2024-2025 was $17,346,000.[6]
Compensation
Salaries for the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state are mandated in the Minnesota Constitution and established by the state legislature. The legislature created a 16-member compensation council, appointed every other January, to put forth compensation recommendations for constitutional officers by April 15th of the designated year.[7]
Article V, Section 4 of the Minnesota Constitution addresses compensation:
|
...The duties and salaries of the executive officers shall be prescribed by law.[1] |
2024
In 2024, the officer's salary was $149,550, according to the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library.[8]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $127,629, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2021
In 2021, the governor received a salary of $127,629, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2020
In 2020, the governor’s salary was $127,629, according to the Council of State Governments..[11]
2019
In 2019, the governor’s salary was $127,629, according to the Council of State Governments..[12]
2018
In 2018, the governor’s salary was $127,629, according to the Council of State Governments..[13]
2017
In 2017, the governor’s salary was $127,629, according to the Council of State Governments..[14]
2016
In 2016, the governor’s salary was $127,150, according to the Council of State Governments..[15]
2015
In 2015, the governor’s salary was $123,427, according to the Council of State Governments..[16]
2014
In 2014, the governor received a salary of $119,850, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2013
In 2013, the governor's salary remained at $120,303.[18]
2012
In 2012, the governor was paid an estimated $120,303. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.[19]
2010
In 2010, the governor was paid $120,303 a year, the 29th highest gubernatorial salary in America at the time.[20]
History
Partisan balance 1992-2013
From 1992-2013, in Minnesota there were Democratic governors in office for the last three years while there were Republican governors in office for 15 years. For the final year of the study Minnesota was under a Democratic trifecta.
Across the country, there were 493 years of Democratic governors (44.82 percent) and 586 years of Republican governors (53.27 percent) from 1992 to 2013.
Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states had divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Office of the Governor of Minnesota, the Minnesota State Senate and the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.
SQLI and partisanship
The chart below depicts the partisanship of the Minnesota state government and the state's SQLI ranking for the years studied. For the SQLI, the states were ranked from 1-50, with 1 being the best and 50 the worst. Minnesota has been under divided government for the entirety of the study (1992-2012) until the state elected a Democratic trifecta in 2012. Minnesota also ranked in the top-5 of the SQLI ranking for the entirety of the study, reaching its lowest ranking (5th) in four separate years. The state hit the top spot twice, in 2011 and 2012, under divided government.
- SQLI average with Democratic trifecta: N/A
- SQLI average with Republican trifecta: N/A
- SQLI average with divided government: 3.14
Historical officeholders
There have been 41 Governors of Minnesota since 1858. Of the 41 officeholders, 26 were Republican, seven were Democrat, three were Farmer-Labor, four were Democratic-Farmer-Labor, and one was Minnesota Independence Party.[21]
| List of officeholders from 1858-present | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Tenure | Party | ||
| 1 | Henry Hastings Sibley | 1858 - 1860 | |||
| 2 | Alexander Ramsey | 1860 - 1863 | |||
| 3 | Henry Adoniram Swift | 1863 - 1864 | |||
| 4 | Stephen Miller | 1864 - 1866 | |||
| 5 | William Rainey Marshall | 1866 - 1870 | |||
| 6 | Horace Austin | 1870 - 1874 | |||
| 7 | Cushman Kellogg Davis | 1874 - 1876 | |||
| 8 | John Sargent Pillsbury | 1876 - 1882 | |||
| 9 | Lucius Frederick Hubbard | 1882 - 1887 | |||
| 10 | Andrew Ryan McGill | 1887 - 1889 | |||
| 11 | William Rush Merriam | 1889 - 1893 | |||
| 12 | Knute Nelson | 1893 - 1895 | |||
| 13 | David Marston Clough | 1895 - 1899 | |||
| 14 | John Lind | 1899 - 1901 | |||
| 15 | Samuel Rinnah Van Sant | 1901 - 1905 | |||
| 16 | John Albert Johnson | 1905 - 1909 | |||
| 17 | Adolph Olson Eberhart | 1909 - 1915 | |||
| 18 | Winfield Scott Hammond | 1915 - 1915 | |||
| 19 | Joseph Alfred Arner Burnquist | 1915 - 1921 | |||
| 20 | Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus | 1921 - 1925 | |||
| 21 | Theodore Christianson | 1925 - 1931 | |||
| 22 | Hjalmar Petersen | 1937 - 1936 | Farmer-Labor | ||
| 23 | Floyd Bjornstjerne Olson | 1931 - 1936 | Farmer-Labor | ||
| 24 | Elmer Austin Benson | 1937 - 1939 | Farmer-Labor | ||
| 25 | Harold Edward Stassen | 1939 - 1943 | |||
| 26 | Edward John Thye | 1943 - 1947 | |||
| 27 | Luther Wallace Youngdahl | 1947 - 1951 | |||
| 28 | Clyde Elmer Anderson | 1951 - 1955 | |||
| 29 | Orville Lothrop Freeman | 1955 - 1961 | |||
| 30 | Elmer Lee Anderson | 1961 - 1963 | |||
| 31 | Karl Fritjof Rolvaag | 1963 - 1967 | |||
| 32 | Harold LeVander | 1967 - 1971 | |||
| 33 | Wendell Richard Anderson | 1971 - 1976 | |||
| 34 | Rudolph George Perpich | 1976 - 1979 | |||
| 35 | Albert Harold Quie | 1979 - 1983 | |||
| 36 | Rudolph George Perpich | 1983 - 1991 | |||
| 37 | Arne Helge Carlson | 1991 - 1999 | |||
| 38 | Jesse Ventura | 1999 - 2003 | |||
| 39 | Tim Pawlenty | 2003 - 2011 | |||
| 40 | Mark Dayton | 2011 - 2019 | |||
| 41 | Tim Walz | 2019 - present | |||
State profile
| Demographic data for Minnesota | ||
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 5,482,435 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 79,627 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 84.8% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 5.5% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 4.4% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 1% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.7% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 5% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 92.4% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 33.7% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $61,492 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Minnesota. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Minnesota
Minnesota voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, 19 are located in Minnesota, accounting for 9.22 percent of the total pivot counties.[22]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Minnesota had 15 Retained Pivot Counties and four Boomerang Pivot Counties, accounting for 8.29 and 16.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.
More Minnesota coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Minnesota
- United States congressional delegations from Minnesota
- Public policy in Minnesota
- Endorsers in Minnesota
- Minnesota fact checks
- More...
Contact information
Office of the Governor
130 State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Phone: 651-201-3400
Toll Free: 800-657-3717
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Minnesota Legislature, "Constitution of the State of Minnesota," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Minnesota Office of the Governor, "Governor Tim Walz," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
- ↑ Minnesota Management and Budget, "Minnesota's Budget Process," accessed January 24, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Separation of Powers: Executive Veto Powers," accessed January 26, 2024
- ↑ Minnesota State Senate, "2023 Fiscal Review," accessed December 6, 2023
- ↑ House Research, “State Elected Officials Compensation,” accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Minnesota Legislature, "Minnesota Governor's Salary, 1983-Present," accessed August 12, 2024
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries," January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ National Governors Association, "Former Minnesota Governors," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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