Dakota County, Minnesota

Minnesota House District 53A

2 candidates are tracked for Minnesota House District 53A on the November 3, 2026 ballot: AJ Gubash and Mary Frances Clardy. Candidate information follows official Dakota County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

AJ Gubash (Republican), Mary Frances Clardy (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) are on the November 3 ballot for Minnesota House District 53A; Mary Frances Clardy is the sitting member, per the Minnesota House of Representatives's official member directory (house.mn.gov). Nominees were chosen at the August 11, 2026 primary (where contested) or qualified directly for the general ballot. The field is the Secretary of State's certified candidate table; Minnesota prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Mary Frances Clardy, is on the ballot.

Minnesota › Dakota County › Minnesota House District 53A

AJ Gubash

Republican

Top priorities

Calls for lowering Minnesota's tax burden
Supports restraining government spending
Backs expanding free enterprise and individual liberty

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Gubash grew up in Inver Grove Heights, served four years in the U.S. Army as an infantryman with two deployments to Afghanistan as a contractor, and later worked at an aerospace company and at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., per the campaign site. He holds a criminal justice degree from Inver Hills Community College and a law and political analysis degree from Hamline University, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Mary Frances Clardy

Democratic-Farmer-Labor Incumbent

Biography

Mary Frances Clardy is a teacher who represents District 53A in the Minnesota House. She holds a B.A. in psychology from Minnesota State University, Mankato and an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction from Grand Canyon University, according to the Minnesota House of Representatives. First elected in 2022, she is now in her second term and co-chairs the Education Finance committee as vice chair, also serving on State Government Finance and Policy and the Veterans and Military Affairs Division.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotMinnesota House District 53B

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Minnesota House District 53A in 2026?

When is the Minnesota House District 53A election in Minnesota?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Minnesota are on the Minnesota election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Dakota County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Dakota County and state election office filings, last verified September 29, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Minnesota election office, or see the full Dakota County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Dakota County ballot

46 tracked races in Dakota County, Minnesota. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Minnesota House District 55A Minnesota House District 55B Minnesota House District 56A See all 46 Dakota County races

Candidate profiles

AJ Gubash, full profile Mary Frances Clardy, full profile Official Minnesota election office