2018 Minnesota gubernatorial election

2018 Minnesota gubernatorial election

← 2014 November 6, 2018 2022 →

Nominee Tim Walz Jeff Johnson Party Democratic (DFL) Republican Running mate Peggy Flanagan Donna Bergstrom Popular vote 1,393,096 1,097,705 Percentage 53.8% 42.4%

County results Congressional district results Precinct results Walz:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Johnson:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Tie:      40–50%      50%      No votes

Governor before election Mark Dayton Minnesota DFL Elected Governor Tim Walz Minnesota DFL

Elections in Minnesota
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Federal elections Presidential elections 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 Dem 2004 Dem 2008 Dem Rep 2012 2016 Dem Rep 2020 Dem Rep 2024 Dem Rep LMN Senate elections Class 1 1858 1863 1869 1875 1881 1886 1892 1899 1901 (sp) 1905 1911 1916 1922 1928 1934 1940 1946 1952 1958 1964 1970 1976 1978 (sp) 1982 1988 1994 2000 2006 2012 2018 2024 Class 2 1858 1865 1871 (sp) 1871 1877 1881 (sp) 1883 1888 1895 1901 1907 1913 1918 1923 (sp) 1924 1930 1936 (sp) 1936 1942 (sp) 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 2018 (sp) 2020 2026 House of Representatives 1849 (Terr) 1850 (Terr) 1852 (Terr) 1854 (Terr) 1856 (Terr) 1857 1859 1860 1862 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1929 5th sp 7th sp 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1977 7th sp 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 5th 6th 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 1st sp 2024
State executive elections Gubernatorial elections 1857 1859 1861 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1875 1877 1879 1881 1883 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 Lieutenant gubernatorial elections 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1966 1970 Secretary of State elections 2010 2014 2018 2022 State Auditor elections 1934 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 Attorney General elections 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
State legislative elections Senate elections 1890 1894 1898 1902 1906 1910 1976 1980 1982 1986 1990 1992 1996 2000 2002 2006 2010 2012 2016 2020 2022 2026 House of Representatives elections 1910 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Special elections Senate House of Representatives
Ballot questions 2012 Amendment 1 Amendment 2
Minneapolis General elections 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 Mayoral elections 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 City Council elections 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 2023 City ballot questions Question 2 (2021)
Saint Paul Mayoral elections 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021
v t e

The 2018 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 6, to elect the 41st Governor of Minnesota as incumbent Democratic governor Mark Dayton chose not to run for re-election for a third term. The Democratic nominee was congressman Tim Walz from Minnesota's 1st congressional district while the Republicans nominated Hennepin County commissioner Jeff Johnson. The Independence Party of Minnesota didn't field a candidate for the first time since 1994. Going into the election the polls showed Walz ahead and the race was characterized as lean or likely DFL.

In the end, Walz went on to defeat Johnson by the largest margin for a DFL candidate since 1986. Walz had also received more votes than any gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota's history. This is the first Minnesota gubernatorial election since 1958 where any party won more than two consecutive elections. This was also the first time since 1998 where the party of the incumbent president lost.