Olmsted County, Minnesota

Olmsted County Commissioner District 2

2 candidates are tracked for Olmsted County Commissioner District 2 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Dave Senjem and Gabe Perkins. Candidate information follows official Olmsted County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

David H. Senjem and Gabe Perkins advanced from the August 11 nonpartisan primary with about 56 and 29 percent, eliminating Karuna Ojanen, per the Minnesota Secretary of State's certified results; the top two meet on the November 3 ballot.

What this office does

County commissioner. The county board is the county's legislative and, in most states, executive body. Commissioners adopt the county budget and property tax rate, oversee roads, the jail, public health, planning and zoning in unincorporated areas, and appoint or confirm department heads. In counties with an elected county executive or judge, the board's role is mainly the budget and ordinances.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot.

Minnesota › Olmsted County › Olmsted County Commissioner District 2

Dave Senjem

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Pushing back on state cost shifts for Medicaid and nutrition programs
Affordable housing and environmental sustainability
Mental health infrastructure including a possible new state hospital in Rochester

Per the KTTC.

Biography

Dave Senjem is a former Rochester City Council member and a 20 year Minnesota state senator, per KTTC. He told KTTC his focus is on costs the state has shifted onto counties, including Medicaid and nutrition programs. He is described by KTTC as the sitting District 2 commissioner, but that could not be confirmed against an official county roster in this review, so incumbency is recorded as false. No campaign website was found as of September 6, 2026.

Gabe Perkins

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Building substantially more housing over the next two decades
Scrutinizing data center growth for utility cost, noise and environmental effects

Per the KTTC.

Biography

Gabe Perkins is a former Minnesota Department of Transportation and American Cancer Society employee, according to KTTC. He told KTTC the county needs 18,000 to 20,000 more homes within the next 20 years. No campaign website was found as of September 6, 2026.

Next on your ballotOlmsted County Commissioner District 6

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Olmsted County Commissioner District 2 in 2026?

When is the Olmsted County Commissioner District 2 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 Olmsted 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 Olmsted County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Olmsted County ballot

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

Also on your ballot

Olmsted County Commissioner District 4 Olmsted County Sheriff Olmsted County Attorney See all 22 Olmsted County races

Candidate profiles

Dave Senjem, full profile Gabe Perkins, full profile Official Minnesota election office