Minnesota sets record for early votes as top candidates make final stops

Michele Tafoya and Peggy Flanagan finished their final public appearances in the Twin Cities on Monday, Nov. 2, as Minnesota voters prepared for a record-breaking midterm election. The race for the U.S. Senate seat pits the Republican candidate against the Democratic lieutenant governor, with both parties focusing on turnout in the closing hours before polls open.

Secretary of State Steve Simon announced that 886,427 absentee and mail ballots had been accepted by Monday. That figure sets a new record for early votes in a midterm election in the state. Simon noted that the 2022 general election saw 792,581 absentee voters, while the 2024 presidential election had approximately 1.5 million. Simon described the current climate as having a lot of energy around the election.

Tafoya cast her ballot in Edina and said she felt great about the process. She described her plan for the remainder of the day as trying to chill with her dog. Tafoya argued that Minnesotans are tired of fraud and career politicians, claiming her campaign offers something fresh. She countered that it is only one of the two candidates who failed the state for eight years. Tafoya stated that Flanagan deserves a pink slip rather than a promotion.

Flanagan campaigned in Minnetonka, a location about 13 minutes from Tafoya’s polling place. She addressed a crowd at a DFL bus tour stop, telling supporters that her candidates are on their side and not on the side of Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans. Flanagan emphasized that Tafoya has been endorsed by Trump multiple times in recent weeks. She used this connection to frame the choice in the Senate race clearly for voters.

The governor’s race features Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth against Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Demuth voted in Waite Park and planned to make additional stops later in the day. Her final message focused on bringing change by protecting voters from fraud and making the state affordable. Klobuchar spoke at the same DFL tour stop in Minnetonka, outlining plans for healthcare and affordability. She argued that federal headwinds like tariffs and wars should not be an excuse for inaction in Minnesota.

The DFL scheduled one more tour stop in St. Paul for Monday night. The election will determine the state’s first woman governor. It will also mark the first time in 20 years that Minnesotans have elected a Republican to a statewide office. Polls are set to close at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.