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Minnesota Auditor election, 2026

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Minnesota 2026 elections

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Minnesota State Auditor
←2022


Election details
Filing deadline: June 2, 2026
Primary: August 11, 2026 General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Minnesota
Ballotpedia analysis
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Minnesota executive elections
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Minnesota is holding an election forstate auditor onNovember 3, 2026. The primary is August 11, 2026. The filing deadline is June 2, 2026.

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia definesofficial candidates as people who:

Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

General election

The primary will occur on August 11, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.

General election for Minnesota State Auditor

Jay Reeves is running in the general election for Minnesota State Auditor on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Jay Reeves (Forward Independence Party)

	There are noincumbents in this race.
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Minnesota State Auditor

Zack Filipovich andDan Wolgamott are running in the Democratic primary for Minnesota State Auditor on August 11, 2026.

		Candidate
		Zack Filipovich
		Dan Wolgamott

	There are noincumbents in this race.
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Minnesota State Auditor

Elliott Engen,Nate George, andScott Jensen are running in the Republican primary for Minnesota State Auditor on August 11, 2026.

		Candidate
		Elliott Engen
		Nate George
		Scott Jensen

	There are noincumbents in this race.
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completedBallotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, clickhere.

Jay Reeves

Image of Jay Reeves

Party:Forward Independence Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography: "After 9/11, at the age of 31, a husband and father of four, Jay Reeves answered the call to serve his country by enlisting in the U.S. Army. Over nearly 17 years of distinguished service, he rose through the ranks from Private (PV2) to Major (O-4), deployed to Iraq, and later served as a data integrity analyst for the Defense Health Agency and in the civilian sector. Along the way, he earned a Master’s Degree in Health Informatics from the University of Minnesota.In 2022, Jay was diagnosed with cancer presumptively linked to burn pit exposure during his deployment and was medically retired the following year. Now healthy and resilient, he’s focused on continuing his service, this time to the people of Minnesota.Jay grew up in a union family on Saint Paul’s East Side and was a proud Teamster himself. It was there he learned the values of hard work, fairness, and accountability, principles that continue to guide him today.Jay lives in Victoria, MN. He is a proud father of six—three daughters and three sons, including one serving in the U.S. Army—and a grandfather to three beautiful grandchildren. He’s married to his high school sweetheart, an educator of more than 25 years who shares his passion for service and community.From his union roots to military leadership, Jay has lived the everyday challenges working families face and he’ll bring that same integrity and dedication to restoring and protecting Minnesotans’ trust in their government."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses,click here.

First, a relentless focus on cybersecurity.Protecting public information is not optional—it is fundamental. With Minnesota IT Services providing 24/7 support, the Auditor’s Office will stay ahead of threats, safeguard sensitive data, and ensure that Minnesotans can have confidence in the systems that store and protect their information.

Second, the adoption of cutting-edge technology to detect fraud in real time.Minnesotans shouldn’t have to wait months—or years—to discover when something has gone wrong. By leveraging existing state software like PowerBI and supplementing it with industry-leading tools, we can identify anomalies as they happen and stop misuse of taxpayer dollars before it spreads.

Third, streamlined reporting systems to help local governments succeed.When reporting processes are outdated or overly complex, it slows down audits and makes it harder for local partners to do their jobs. We will build an interactive submission portal through SharePoint, along with a clear prioritization tool aligned with statewide goals. This means faster audits, clearer communication, and fewer administrative headaches for cities and counties.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completedBallotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

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Jay Reeves (Forward Independence)

First, a relentless focus on cybersecurity.

Protecting public information is not optional—it is fundamental. With Minnesota IT Services providing 24/7 support, the Auditor’s Office will stay ahead of threats, safeguard sensitive data, and ensure that Minnesotans can have confidence in the systems that store and protect their information.

Second, the adoption of cutting-edge technology to detect fraud in real time.Minnesotans shouldn’t have to wait months—or years—to discover when something has gone wrong. By leveraging existing state software like PowerBI and supplementing it with industry-leading tools, we can identify anomalies as they happen and stop misuse of taxpayer dollars before it spreads.

Third, streamlined reporting systems to help local governments succeed.

When reporting processes are outdated or overly complex, it slows down audits and makes it harder for local partners to do their jobs. We will build an interactive submission portal through SharePoint, along with a clear prioritization tool aligned with statewide goals. This means faster audits, clearer communication, and fewer administrative headaches for cities and counties.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Jay Reeves (Forward Independence)

Safeguarding the tax dollars of Minnesotans. This campaign is about modern accountability. It is about renewing trust. It is about ensuring that every Minnesotan—regardless of party, background, or zip code—knows their money is treated with respect.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Jay Reeves (Forward Independence)

The most important qualities of a State Auditor are Independence and Objectivity. They must have the ability to operate free from political pressure or party influence. Also, they must have a commitment to evaluating government operations based solely on facts, data, and law.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Jay Reeves (Forward Independence)

I remember being in Kindergarten, I believe I must have been five, when the hostages from Iran had been released. I watched it on the tv school and seeing the folks come off of the airplane onto the tarmac was something I will never forget.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Jay Reeves (Forward Independence)

My favorite book is 11/22/63 by Stephen King. I love it because it offers powerful life lessons. The one that resonates most with me is the idea that even if we could go back and change a terrible event, the consequences might lead to something even worse. Sometimes the hardest experiences teach us the most, and accepting them—and learning from them—can be life’s greatest lesson.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Jay Reeves (Forward Independence)

Forward Independence

Voting information

See also:Voting in Minnesota

Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.

Past elections

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2014.