Race · November 3, 2026
Governor · Minnesota
3 candidates on the ballot — an open seat, with no incumbent running.1
§1Candidates
Why this matters: Every candidate the state lists for this race on the November ballot, in the state's own order.
§2Side by side
Why this matters: The same facts for every candidate, in the same order. Where we found nothing for a candidate, the cell says so — that means we didn't find it in public sources, not that it doesn't exist.
| Fact | Steven Young | Amy Klobuchar | Lisa Demuth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Party on the ballot | Green1, | Democratic-Farmer-Labor1, | Republican1, |
| Status | Open seat | Open seat4 | Open seat |
| Money | Candidates for governor file campaign-finance reports with the state, not the FEC, so this guide doesn't include their fundraising. Search the state's reports: Campaign finance candidate viewer — Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.5 | ||
| Police funding | Not found in the public sources we checked | Increase police funding, for example to hire more officers Her campaign website says she would create state grants for cities and counties to hire and keep more police officers, and give law enforcement more equipment, technology and training.6 | Increase police funding, for example to hire more officers Her campaign website says she would invest in public safety resources for cities and counties, increase funding for violent crime enforcement teams and officer training, and add incentives to recruit and keep police officers.7, |
| Health insurance system | Not found in the public sources we checked | Her campaign website says she would extend and strengthen Minnesota's reinsurance program, have the state weigh affordability and deny excessive premium increases, and create a state tax credit for small employers that pay for their workers' health coverage.9 | Her campaign website says she wants more competition and plan choices in health insurance, supports direct primary care and direct contracting, and would strengthen Minnesota's reinsurance program.7 |
| Homelessness | Not found in the public sources we checked | Her campaign website says she would set up a statewide network that connects people to housing and supportive services through a single point of contact, and expand efforts to end veteran and student homelessness.10 | Enforce bans on public camping and move people into shelters or treatment, including court-ordered treatment for some Her campaign website says she would sign an executive order to clear homeless camps and open-air drug markets on state land, help cities clear camps, and seek more state power to act when cities do not.8 |
| Fraud and improper payments in federal programs | Not found in the public sources we checked | Her campaign website says she would require thorough screening of all grants and contracts before state money is awarded, add regular and unannounced in-person inspections, create a state database that automatically blocks anyone convicted of fraud from state grants, contracts and payments, freeze suspicious payments while fraud is investigated, and toughen criminal penalties for fraud.11 | Her campaign website says she would order unannounced site visits to recipients of program money such as child care assistance and Medicaid services, cross-check payments against people known to have committed fraud, bar providers credibly suspected of fraud from other programs, and suspend payments for suspected fraud.8, |
| State government spending | Not found in the public sources we checked | Her campaign website says she would require state agencies to find savings, review state programs regularly against their results, and cut duplicative or underperforming programs.11 | Cut state spending and return the savings through tax cuts or rebates Her campaign website says she would direct state agencies to find $1 billion in savings and would push to require that state budget surpluses be returned to taxpayers.7, |
Issues only one candidate has addressed
By candidate, in ballot order. We found nothing public from the other candidates in this race on these issues.
Steven Young — 3 issues
- Data centers and electricity costsPause or limit new data centersHis campaign website says he would ban hyperscale data centers, citing their noise and the heat they add.14
- Immigration enforcement inside the countryAbolish ICE and move any remaining enforcement work to other agenciesHis campaign website lists abolishing ICE as a key issue; it says a governor cannot technically abolish ICE but that he would make things as hard as possible for ICE in Minnesota.14
- State and local role in immigration enforcementHis campaign website lists making Minnesota a sanctuary state as a key issue.14
Amy Klobuchar — 15 issues
- Abortion lawHer campaign website says she will protect the reproductive rights written into Minnesota law by the PRO Act.9
- Ethanol and biofuel requirementsExpand biofuel use, such as by allowing E15 sales all yearHer campaign website says she worked in the Senate to make E15 available year-round, and that as governor she would support biofuel production and work to make Minnesota a leader in sustainable aviation fuel.15
- TariffsHer campaign website says she has led the effort in the Senate to get rid of President Trump's tariffs, which she has called a tax on farms, businesses and consumers.16
- State K-12 school fundingHer campaign website says she would continue to strongly fund schools and use evidence-based reading and math curricula and tutoring to raise student achievement.17
- Conservation and development on federal landsHer campaign website says she voted against stripping protections from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and other federal lands, and that as governor she will oppose efforts to shrink the public lands and waters Minnesotans depend on.18
- Endangered species protectionsHer campaign website says she supports wildlife management that meets the goals of the Endangered Species Act while keeping decisions about Minnesota's wildlife in Minnesota, including returning gray wolf management to the states once populations recover.18
- Child care costsHer campaign website says she would combine Minnesota's two child care assistance programs into one scholarship-style program, expand scholarships so more families receive them, and help child care providers open or expand.19
- AR-15-style riflesBan the sale of these riflesHer campaign website says she would sign the gun safety package passed by the Minnesota Senate, which would strengthen safe-storage standards, ban assault weapons and improve school security.6
- ACA premium tax creditsHer campaign website says she will keep pushing for an extension of the federal premium tax credits and, if Congress does not act, work to create a state tax credit through MNsure for small business owners, self-employed workers and farmers.9
- Federal Medicaid fundingReverse the 2025 changes or increase federal fundingHer campaign website says she will advocate for restoring the Medicaid funding cuts in the federal Big Beautiful Bill and work to help eligible Minnesotans keep their coverage.9
- Help for first-time homebuyersHer campaign website says she would combine state, local and federal down-payment assistance into a single application and provide counseling to help buyers use it.10
- Large investors buying single-family homesHer campaign website says large institutional landlords should have to report their acquisitions and rent increases in a public database, and that she supports the ROAD to Housing Act's caps on the number of homes they can own.10
- Zoning and new housingGive extra state or federal money to communities that allow more homesHer campaign website says she would work toward building 100,000 more homes by rewarding cities that agree to build more housing when they apply for state money, setting deadlines for housing permit decisions and streamlining building codes, while keeping local control.10
- Medicare drug price negotiationHer campaign website says she led the law that let Medicare negotiate lower prescription drug prices, and that as governor she would expand the state's bulk purchasing of prescription drugs.9
- High-speed internet access
Lisa Demuth — 7 issues
- Cash bail and pretrial releaseHer campaign website says judges should be required to put defendants awaiting trial for a violent crime on electronic monitoring when no bail is ordered.8
- Mandatory minimum sentencesAdd or raise mandatory minimums, for example for selling fentanyl
- Classroom teaching on race, gender and sexualityState limits on these topics in some or all grades, with notice to parents
- Vouchers and education savings accountsHer campaign website says she would opt Minnesota into the new federal education tax credit, which it says would fund scholarships for public, charter and private school students.20
- Nuclear powerHer campaign website says she would repeal Minnesota's longstanding ban on nuclear energy.7
- Property taxesHer campaign website says she would provide $150 million in property tax cuts, let schools and local governments opt out of some unfunded state mandates, and return part of future surpluses as property tax rebates.13
- State income taxCut rates or move to a single flat rate
Issue statements are drafted by AI from the public sources cited, and only cover what each candidate has said publicly.