Overview
- Voters cast ballots Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, with polls open statewide from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. after weeks of early in-person voting and absentee returns.
- The top Democratic contest is the open U.S. Senate primary between Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig, a progressive-versus-moderate matchup in which Flanagan has major progressive endorsements while Craig holds a fundraising edge.
- On the Republican side, Michele Tafoya has led recent polls while Adam Schwarze carries the party endorsement and Royce White remains a third notable contender.
- Minnesota’s open-primary rules require voters to pick one party’s column on a single ballot so cross-party votes will not count and analysts say which groups turn out — older voters or younger progressives — could decide close races.
- Results will begin after polls close but tight contests may take longer as absentee and provisional ballots are tallied and the winners will determine November’s slate and influence the balance of the U.S. Senate for Tina Smith’s open seat.