Duluth, Minnesota Public Records

Residents can register online, check registration status, find polling places, and view sample ballots. Voter registration in the state is available up to and including Election Day. To register online by the pre-registration deadline (21 days before an election), voters need a Minnesota driver's license or state ID. Otherwise, residents can register in person at their polling place on Election Day with proof of residence such as a utility bill, bank statement, lease agreement, or a registered voter from the same precinct who can vouch for them. Minnesota does not require photo ID to vote, though voters must be registered. The city holds municipal elections for mayor and city council positions. The mayor serves a four-year term, with the next mayoral election scheduled for 2024 after Emily Larson was re-elected in 2023. The Duluth City Council consists of nine members representing five districts (At-Large and four district seats), with councilors serving staggered four-year terms. City elections are held in odd-numbered years during November general elections. Information about candidates, local ballot measures, and campaign finance reports is available through the City Clerk's Office at duluthmn.gov/city-clerk and through the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board at cfb.mn.gov. Residents can find their assigned polling place by visiting mnvotes.org and entering their address in the Polling Place Finder, or by contacting the Saint Louis County Elections Division. Minnesota offers early voting (in-person absentee voting) beginning 46 days before each election at the County Elections Office and satellite locations. No-excuse absentee voting by mail is available to all Minnesota voters; applications can be submitted online at mnvotes.org up to one day before Election Day, though applying earlier is strongly recommended. In the November 2024 presidential election, Saint Louis County recorded approximately 62% voter turnout with roughly 123,000 ballots cast out of approximately 198,000 registered voters. The city's turnout typically matches or slightly exceeds the county average. Looking ahead to November 3, 2026, voters in the area will decide several major races. Minnesota's U.S. Senator Tina Smith's seat is up for election in 2026. All of Minnesota's eight U.S. House seats will be on the ballot, with the city in the 8th Congressional District. At the state level, all 134 Minnesota House seats and half of the 67 Minnesota Senate seats (odd-numbered districts) will be contested. Governor Tim Walz's term extends through 2026, but all constitutional offices including Attorney General, Secretary of State, and State Auditor are elected in gubernatorial years (2026). At the Saint Louis County level, various Saint Louis County commissioner seats, the county attorney, sheriff, recorder, and other county offices will appear on the ballot, depending on term schedules. Municipal races will not occur in 2026 as city elections take place in odd-numbered years. Election records that are public in Minnesota include voter registration lists (available for purchase for political purposes), campaign finance reports for all candidates and committees (searchable at cfb.mn.gov), candidate filings and statements, and precinct-level election results. The Secretary of State maintains comprehensive election results at sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/election-results. Same-day voter registration information is public, though individual voter history (which elections someone voted in, though not how they voted) has limited access under Minnesota Statutes Section 201.091.