Primary Rules
How Minnesota's Primary Works
Minnesota uses a Open Primary system
Open Primary
Any registered voter can vote in any party's primary, regardless of their own party affiliation or registration status.
Voter file data: L2 Data · Registration counts: Minnesota Secretary of State · Updated May 16, 2026
Minnesota Voter Registration
& Party Affiliation Statistics
Total Registered
3,605,412
Most Active Primary Party
Republican (38.22%)
Independent / NPP
27.7%
Primary Type
Open Primary
At a Glance
Minnesota at a Glance
Key voter registration statistics · Updated 2026
Registered Voters
3,605,412
across 87 counties
Independent / NPP
27.7%
of registered voters
2024 Turnout
76.5%
of eligible voters
Primary Participation
Primary Ballot Participation by Party
Minnesota does not register voters by party. The breakdown below is modeled from recent primary ballot history.
Democratic34.08%
Republican38.22%
Independent/Other27.7%
| Party | Registered Voters | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
Democratic | 1,228,712 | 34.08% |
Republican | 1,378,049 | 38.22% |
Independent/Other | 998,651 | 27.7% |
Note: Minnesota does not collect party affiliation at voter registration. These figures are modeled from L2 voter-file analysis of which primary ballot each voter pulled in recent cycles — they reflect primary participation, not party registration.
Turnout
Voter Turnout in Minnesota
How many eligible Minnesota residents actually vote?
Recent Elections
| Election | Turnout | Voted |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 General | 76.5% | 3,272,414 |
| 2022 General | 60.5% | 2,526,646 |
| 2020 General | 79.2% | 3,292,997 |
| 2024 Presidential Primary | 16.2% | 585,991 |
| 2024 State Primary | 12.8% | 543,982 |
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