The Ballot Brief
Otter Tail County, Minnesota

Minnesota House District 9A

2 candidates are tracked for Minnesota House District 9A on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Nicholas Hanson and Jeff Backer. Candidate information follows official Otter Tail County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Nicholas Hanson (Democratic-Farmer-Labor), Jeff Backer (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Minnesota House District 9A; Jeff Backer 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, Jeff Backer, is on the ballot.

Minnesota › Otter Tail County › Minnesota House District 9A

Nicholas Hanson

Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Biography

Nicholas Hanson signed a pledge supporting congressional term limits as a candidate for Minnesota House District 9A, according to U.S. Term Limits. No occupation, campaign website or additional attributed biographical detail was found for him as of this research pass. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.

Jeff Backer

Jeff Backer

Republican Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Providing law enforcement and first responders with needed equipment and resources
  • Reducing unnecessary government spending and lowering taxes
  • Returning control over education decisions to local communities and parents

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Backer co-founded a small business that now employs about twenty people and previously served as mayor of his city, where he managed city resources and kept taxes low, per the campaign site. He also volunteered as an EMT for more than twenty years with the Browns Valley Ambulance Service and currently serves as a state representative, per the campaign site.

Next on your ballotMinnesota House District 9B

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Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Minnesota House District 9A in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for Minnesota House District 9A on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Nicholas Hanson and Jeff Backer. Candidate information follows official Otter Tail County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Minnesota House District 9A 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 Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Otter Tail County ballot

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

Also on your ballot
Judge, Minnesota 7th Judicial District Court, Seat 2Judge, Minnesota 7th Judicial District Court, Seat 8Judge, Minnesota 7th Judicial District Court, Seat 9See all 26 Otter Tail County races
Candidate profiles
Nicholas Hanson, full profileJeff Backer, full profileOfficial Minnesota election office