Minnesota Secretary Of State - State Canvassing Board Certifies August 9 Primary Election Results
Skip to main content

News Room Archive


News Room


State Canvassing Board Certifies August 9 Primary Election Results

August 16, 2016

Final voter statistics confirm 7.43 percent turnout rate; No publicly funded federal or state recounts

SAINT PAUL — Today, the five-member State Canvassing Board, chaired by Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, certified the results of the August 9 Primary Election.

The certification is the last step in confirming the federal and state candidates who will appear on the November 8 General Election ballot. To view Primary Election results, click here.

The Office of the Secretary of State reports 294,797 voters cast a ballot in the primary — resulting in a turnout rate of 7.43 percent, based on Minnesota’s eligible voter number of 3,967,061.

There will be no publicly funded recounts for any state or federal elected offices. All federal and statewide races had vote margins greater than one-quarter of one percent, and all legislative races had vote margins greater than one-half of one percent — the statutorily defined difference needed for candidates to request a publicly funded recount.

The State Canvassing Board members are Secretary Simon; Associate Justice David L. Lillehaug, Minnesota Supreme Court; Associate Justice Margaret H. Chutich; Assistant Chief Judge Kathryn D. Messerich, First Judicial District; and Judge Erica H. MacDonald, First Judicial District.

Official Voter Statistics for the August 9 Primary:

7.43 percent turnout. Previous turnout rates in Minnesota primaries:

  • 2014 — 10.37 percent
  • 2012 — 9.61 percent
  • 2010 — 15.93 percent
  • 2008 — 11.26 percent

294,797 total voters. Previous voter numbers in Minnesota primaries:

  • 2014 — 401,878
  • 2012 — 359,682
  • 2010 — 606,394
  • 2008 — 419,474

42,210 mail and absentee ballots cast. Previous mail and absentee ballots cast in Minnesota primaries:

  • 2014 — 32,710
  • 2012 — 19,624*
  • 2010 — 31,276*
  • 2008 — 21,160*

*Note: Statistics for 2012, 2010, and 2008 do not include mail ballots.

14,438 voters registered at their polling place on Primary Election Day. Previous Election Day registration in Minnesota primaries:

  • 2014 — 19,358
  • 2012 — 17,975
  • 2010 — 39,669
  • 2008 — 24,700

###