The Ballot Brief
Hennepin County, Minnesota

Minnesota House District 46A

2 candidates are tracked for Minnesota House District 46A on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Larry Kraft and Karl Olson. Candidate information follows official Hennepin County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Larry Kraft (Democratic-Farmer-Labor), Karl Olson (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Minnesota House District 46A; Larry Kraft 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, Larry Kraft, is on the ballot.

Minnesota › Hennepin County › Minnesota House District 46A

Larry Kraft

Larry Kraft

Democratic-Farmer-Labor Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Treats climate change as a top legislative priority and says it should factor into all legislation
  • Points to his record authoring bills on climate, mental health, transportation, and housing
  • Emphasizes responsive, transparent constituent service

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Kraft is the sitting state representative for District 46A and a former St. Louis Park City Council member who spent 25 years in technology leadership before serving five years as executive director of the youth climate nonprofit iMatter, per the campaign site. He holds a computer science degree and an MBA from Cornell University, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Karl Olson

Republican

Top priorities
  • Supports judicial retention elections that allow voters to choose yes or no on continued service by judges

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Karl Olson served as a U.S. diplomat in the Foreign Service for more than 30 years, focusing on Latin America, Iraq and Afghanistan, per his campaign site. Olson moved to St. Louis Park in August 2021 and speaks Spanish and Portuguese, per his campaign site. Olson put his name on the ballot in District 46A to give voters a choice, per his campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
Next on your ballotMinnesota House District 46B

See your full ballot

Your address is only used to match your districts.

Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Minnesota House District 46A in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for Minnesota House District 46A on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Larry Kraft and Karl Olson. Candidate information follows official Hennepin County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Minnesota House District 46A 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 Hennepin 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 Hennepin 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 Hennepin County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Hennepin County ballot

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

Also on your ballot
Minnesota House District 49AMinnesota House District 49BMinnesota House District 50ASee all 78 Hennepin County races
Candidate profiles
Larry Kraft, full profileKarl Olson, full profileOfficial Minnesota election office