The Ballot Brief
56054

Who is on the ballot in 56054?

Nicollet County, MN

Reported by The Ballot Brief Editorial Team. Updated as public election and video sources change.

Fields below reflect the November 3, 2026 general election ballot as races are certified.

15 races on your November 3 ballot. Jump to:
Governor1U.S. Senate1Statewide3Local9Measures1

No single U.S. House race is set for this ZIP; see below for your district options.

About this preview
County and municipal contests depend on your exact address — use the address lookup below for the full slate. Every race links to official sources on the Minnesota voter hub.
Sample Ballot Preview

56054 sample ballot preview: statewide, congressional and Nicollet County races

U.S. House

ZIP 56054 spans District 1 and District 7, so your U.S. House race depends on your street address. Enter a full address to pin down your district, or browse both fields on the Minnesota hub.

U.S. Senate
4 candidates
Federal ▾
Peggy Flanagan portrait
PF
Peggy Flanagan
Biography
Flanagan serves as Minnesota's lieutenant governor, a position held since 2019, per the campaign site. Flanagan is a member of the White Earth Nation and holds a degree from the University of Minnesota, per the campaign site. The campaign site says Flanagan's background includes work as a nonprofit executive director, an organizational trainer, and a state legislator, and that Flanagan was elected to the Minneapolis School Board at age 25, per the campaign site.
Top Priorities
  • Ending corruption, which her campaign lists first among its priorities
  • Health care, which it lists second
  • Affording your life, which it lists third
Campaign siteFull profile
Michele Tafoya portrait
MT
Michele Tafoya
REP
Biography
Michele Tafoya is a former network sports broadcaster and NFL sideline reporter, and the Republican nominee for Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat.
Top Priorities
  • Stop the fraud, which her campaign lists first among its four issues
  • Law and order, which it lists second
  • Cut costs and taxes for the middle class, which it lists third
Campaign siteFull profile
MS
Marisa Simonetti
Biography
Marisa Simonetti is the Independence-Alliance Party candidate on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Minnesota's U.S. Senate seat, per the Minnesota Secretary of State's certified general-election candidate table.
Campaign siteFull profile
RW
Rebecca Whiting
Biography
Rebecca Whiting is the Libertarian Party candidate on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Minnesota's U.S. Senate seat, per the Minnesota Secretary of State's certified general-election candidate table.
Campaign siteFull profile
Governor
2 candidates
Statewide ▾
AK
Amy Klobuchar
DEM
Biography
Klobuchar is a sitting U.S. Senator seeking the Minnesota governorship; she previously served as a county prosecutor and is the granddaughter of an iron-ore miner and the daughter of a newspaperman and a second-grade teacher, per the campaign site.
Top Priorities
  • Lower costs for Minnesotans
  • Make government accountable and root out fraud
  • Prepare Minnesota's workforce for the future
Per the campaign priorities page.
Campaign siteFull profile
Lisa Demuth portrait
LD
Lisa Demuth
REP
Biography
Lisa Demuth is speaker of the Minnesota House, a fourth-term state representative from Cold Spring, a former small-business owner and an eleven-year ROCORI school board member, and the Republican nominee for governor. She is the first Black major-party nominee for Minnesota governor.
Top Priorities
  • Taxes and affordability, which her campaign names as her top priority
  • Eliminating fraud in state programs, per her campaign priorities page
  • Public safety, per her campaign priorities page
Campaign siteFull profile
Attorney General
2 candidates
Statewide ▾
Keith Ellison portrait
KE
Keith Ellison
INCUMBENT
Biography
Ellison is the incumbent Minnesota Attorney General running for re-election, per the campaign site. His office has worked on insulin cost reductions, consumer robocall protections and opioid settlement funds for the state, per the campaign site.
Top Priorities
  • Protect consumers, workers, and civil rights
  • Use the attorney general's office for public-safety and accountability cases
  • Defend reproductive rights and state legal authority
Campaign siteFull profile
Ron Schutz portrait
RS
Ron Schutz
REP
Biography
Ron Schutz is a trial lawyer who was a partner in a national litigation firm and served as its chairman from 2019 to 2024, per his campaign site, and the Republican nominee for Minnesota attorney general.
Top Priorities
  • Fighting fraud
  • Consumer protection
  • Tackling crime and supporting law enforcement
Per the campaign priorities page.
Campaign siteFull profile
Secretary of State
4 candidates
Statewide ▾
SS
Steve Simon
INCUMBENT
Biography
Steve Simon is Minnesota's incumbent secretary of state, in office since 2015, and the DFL nominee for another term, unopposed in the August 11 primary. His office oversees elections, business filings, public records, voter information, and civic participation across Minnesota.
Top Priorities
  • Defend democracy and strengthen the freedom to vote
  • Push back against election disinformation
  • Support small businesses and enhance protections for the most vulnerable
Per the campaign site.
Campaign siteFull profile
Tad Jude portrait
TJ
Tad Jude
REP
Biography
Tad Jude is a former district court judge in the 10th Judicial District and a former member of the Minnesota House, Minnesota Senate and Hennepin County Board, and the Republican nominee for secretary of state.
Top Priorities
  • Require photo identification to vote
  • Clean up the voter rolls and verify citizenship
  • Prevent fraud in public programs
Per the campaign plan.
Campaign siteFull profile
G"
George "Chip" Tangen
Biography
George "Chip" Tangen is a Libertarian candidate for Minnesota secretary of state who qualified for the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot by nominating petition. An attorney raised in Eden Prairie, he previously served as legislative counsel to U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad in Washington.
Top Priorities
  • Nonpartisan administration of Minnesota elections
  • Ballot access for independent and minor-party candidates
  • Maximizing both voter participation and election security
Campaign siteFull profile
Seth Kuhl-Stennes portrait
SK
Seth Kuhl-Stennes
Biography
Kuhl-Stennes is a Baudette, Minnesota native who has spent 20 years working across cooperatives, for-profit businesses and nonprofits, including seven years in union roles with UFCW Local 663 and OPEIU Local 12, per the campaign site. He holds a political science degree from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, per the campaign site.
Top Priorities
  • Expand voting access and ballot access
  • Increase election transparency
  • Support civic participation and community accountability
Campaign siteFull profile
State Auditor
3 candidates
Statewide ▾
Zack Filipovich portrait
ZF
Zack Filipovich
Biography
Zack Filipovich is a certified management accountant and nonprofit finance manager and a former Duluth city councilor and council president, and the DFL nominee for state auditor, unopposed in the August 11 primary. The seat is open because Julie Blaha announced in September 2025 that she would not seek re-election. His campaign emphasizes local-government oversight, financial accountability, transparency, and support for communities managing public dollars.
Top Priorities
  • Transparency and accountability
  • Strengthening our communities
  • Communicating and building trust
Per the campaign issues page.
Campaign siteFull profile
SJ
Scott Jensen
REP
Biography
Jensen is a candidate for Minnesota State Auditor and a family medicine physician with 40 years of practice in Carver County; he previously served in the Minnesota Senate and has served on a bank's board of directors as Audit Committee Chair and on his local school district board, per the campaign site.
Top Priorities
  • Stop fraud
  • Accountability and internal controls
  • Compliance and ongoing audits
Per the campaign priorities page.
Campaign siteFull profile
Jay Reeves portrait
JR
Jay Reeves
Biography
Jay Reeves is a Forward-Independence Party candidate for Minnesota state auditor and an Army veteran. His campaign emphasizes independent oversight, public accountability, and non-major-party representation in statewide fiscal review.
Top Priorities
  • Offer independent oversight of public finances
  • Strengthen accountability and transparency
  • Bring military service experience to statewide office
Campaign siteFull profile

Countywide races in Nicollet County

ZIP 56054 sits in Nicollet County, per the Census crosswalk. These seats are voted countywide; district seats, city races and school boards need a street address. All Nicollet County races (16).

Nicollet County Sheriff
2 candidates
County ▾
CH
Chad Honetschlager
Biography
A Mankato Police Officer serving in public safety since 2005, per his campaign site. He spent more than a decade as a reserve officer with the Nicollet County Sheriff's Office and Mankato Department of Public Safety before becoming a full-time officer in 2017, per KEYC.
Top Priorities
  • Accountability to the people of Nicollet County
  • Building community trust in the sheriff's office
  • Direct engagement with residents across the county
Campaign siteFull profile
AP
Aaron Petersen
Biography
Aaron Petersen is the Nicollet County Sheriff, appointed by the county board in early 2026 after more than two decades with the department, starting as a dispatcher in 2004 and rising through deputy, Drug Task Force, and chief deputy roles, per the St. Peter Herald. He is running in November 2026 to continue in the office.
Top Priorities
  • Maintaining public trust in the sheriff's office
  • Continuing community outreach programs and adding a DARE officer
Campaign siteFull profile
About this race
2 candidates on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Nicollet County Sheriff, per the Minnesota Secretary of State's candidate filings.
Nicollet County Attorney
1 candidate
County ▾
MZ
Michelle Zehnder Fischer
Biography
Michelle Zehnder Fischer has served as Nicollet County Attorney since October 2011, after joining the office in 1995 and becoming chief deputy county attorney in 2007, per KEYC. She is seeking reelection in 2026. No campaign website was found as of September 6, 2026.
Top Priorities
  • Says community safety is her foremost priority, prosecuting violent crime with a victim-centered approach
  • Has expanded legal services for seniors
  • Leads Stakeholders for Education Success, a group working to keep students engaged in school through truancy prevention
Full profile
Why only one name?
Only one name is on the ballot for this office: no other candidate qualified. An unopposed candidate is elected unless a write-in outpolls them where write-ins are allowed, so this line still counts as a vote.
About this race
Michelle Zehnder Fischer is the only candidate on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Nicollet County Attorney, per the Minnesota Secretary of State's candidate filings (Minnesota prints unopposed county races).
Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 2
1 candidate
County ▾
KM
Kayla M. Johnson
Biography
Kayla M. Johnson was appointed to the bench in Minnesota's Fifth Judicial District by Governor Tim Walz in March 2025, per her former law firm's website. She was a founding partner of Smith & Johnson from 2015 to 2025, focusing on real estate law and estate planning, and is a graduate of Hamline University and its law school, per the same source.
Campaign siteFull profile
Why only one name?
Only one name is on the ballot for this office: no other candidate qualified. An unopposed candidate is elected unless a write-in outpolls them where write-ins are allowed, so this line still counts as a vote.
About this race
Kayla M. Johnson is the only name on the ballot for this seat; Minnesota prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected, so the race is on the November 3, 2026 ballot but is not contested. Minnesota's 5th Judicial District covers Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock and Watonwan counties; judges are elected at large across the whole district, so every voter there, not just voters in one county, votes on this seat. Minnesota judicial elections are nonpartisan and decided by plurality, with no runoff. Listed from the Secretary of State's certified general-election candidate table.
Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 5
2 candidates
County ▾
CC
Christopher Cain
Biography
Christopher Cain is a candidate for Minnesota Fifth Judicial District Court, Seat 5. He has practiced law for 30 years, serving as an Assistant County Attorney, Assistant City Attorney, Interim City Attorney and defense/family law attorney, per his campaign site. He has also served as an investigator and panel chair with the Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board and as an adjunct law instructor, per the same source.
Campaign siteFull profile
CM
Christina M. Wietzema
INCUMBENT
Biography
Judge Christina M. Wietzema was appointed to the Fifth Judicial District bench by Governor Mark Dayton in 2012 and was elected in 2014 and 2020, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. She earned her J.D. from Hamline University School of Law and previously worked as an assistant public defender in the Fifth Judicial District. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Full profile
About this race
Christopher Cain and Christina M. Wietzema are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for this seat. Minnesota's 5th Judicial District covers Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock and Watonwan counties; judges are elected at large across the whole district, so every voter there, not just voters in one county, votes on this seat. Minnesota judicial elections are nonpartisan and decided by plurality, with no runoff. Listed from the Secretary of State's certified general-election candidate table.
Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 8
1 candidate
County ▾
PJ
Paul J. Gunderson
Biography
Paul J. Gunderson is a judge of the Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court. Appointed to the Nicollet County District Court March 4, 2025, by Governor Tim Walz, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Previously an assistant Brown County attorney and an attorney at Blethen Berens and Berens, Rodenberg & O'Connor, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Full profile
Why only one name?
Only one name is on the ballot for this office: no other candidate qualified. An unopposed candidate is elected unless a write-in outpolls them where write-ins are allowed, so this line still counts as a vote.
About this race
Paul J. Gunderson is the only name on the ballot for this seat; Minnesota prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected, so the race is on the November 3, 2026 ballot but is not contested. Minnesota's 5th Judicial District covers Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock and Watonwan counties; judges are elected at large across the whole district, so every voter there, not just voters in one county, votes on this seat. Minnesota judicial elections are nonpartisan and decided by plurality, with no runoff. Listed from the Secretary of State's certified general-election candidate table.
Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 11
1 candidate
County ▾
SJ
Stephen J. Ferrazzano II
Biography
Stephen J. Ferrazzano II is a judge of the Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court. Appointed to the Watonwan County District Court by Governor Mark Dayton on January 12, 2018, and elected in 2020, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Previously an attorney with the Office of the State Public Defender, 1998-2018, and former mayor of Tracy, Minnesota, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Full profile
Why only one name?
Only one name is on the ballot for this office: no other candidate qualified. An unopposed candidate is elected unless a write-in outpolls them where write-ins are allowed, so this line still counts as a vote.
About this race
Stephen J. Ferrazzano II is the only name on the ballot for this seat; Minnesota prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected, so the race is on the November 3, 2026 ballot but is not contested. Minnesota's 5th Judicial District covers Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock and Watonwan counties; judges are elected at large across the whole district, so every voter there, not just voters in one county, votes on this seat. Minnesota judicial elections are nonpartisan and decided by plurality, with no runoff. Listed from the Secretary of State's certified general-election candidate table.
Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 12
1 candidate
County ▾
PR
Patrick Rohland
Biography
Patrick Rohland is a judge of the Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court. Appointed to the Redwood County District Court Sept. 9, 2013, by Governor Mark Dayton and elected in 2014 and 2020, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Previously Redwood Falls city attorney and an attorney with the Redwood County Attorney's Office, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Full profile
Why only one name?
Only one name is on the ballot for this office: no other candidate qualified. An unopposed candidate is elected unless a write-in outpolls them where write-ins are allowed, so this line still counts as a vote.
About this race
Patrick Rohland is the only name on the ballot for this seat; Minnesota prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected, so the race is on the November 3, 2026 ballot but is not contested. Minnesota's 5th Judicial District covers Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock and Watonwan counties; judges are elected at large across the whole district, so every voter there, not just voters in one county, votes on this seat. Minnesota judicial elections are nonpartisan and decided by plurality, with no runoff. Listed from the Secretary of State's certified general-election candidate table.
Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 13
1 candidate
County ▾
TG
Troy G. Timmerman
Biography
Troy G. Timmerman is a judge of the Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court. Appointed Assistant Chief Judge of the Faribault County District Court by Governor Mark Dayton on Jan. 18, 2018, and elected in 2020, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Previously Faribault County Attorney and an assistant public defender and managing attorney for the Fifth Judicial District, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Full profile
Why only one name?
Only one name is on the ballot for this office: no other candidate qualified. An unopposed candidate is elected unless a write-in outpolls them where write-ins are allowed, so this line still counts as a vote.
About this race
Troy G. Timmerman is the only name on the ballot for this seat; Minnesota prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected, so the race is on the November 3, 2026 ballot but is not contested. Minnesota's 5th Judicial District covers Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock and Watonwan counties; judges are elected at large across the whole district, so every voter there, not just voters in one county, votes on this seat. Minnesota judicial elections are nonpartisan and decided by plurality, with no runoff. Listed from the Secretary of State's certified general-election candidate table.
Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 15
1 candidate
County ▾
RD
Robert Docherty
Biography
Robert Docherty is a judge of the Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court. Appointed to the Brown County District Court Aug. 17, 2012, by Governor Mark Dayton and elected in 2014 and 2020, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Previously managing attorney of the Mankato office of the Fifth Judicial District Public Defender's Office, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Full profile
Why only one name?
Only one name is on the ballot for this office: no other candidate qualified. An unopposed candidate is elected unless a write-in outpolls them where write-ins are allowed, so this line still counts as a vote.
About this race
Robert Docherty is the only name on the ballot for this seat; Minnesota prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected, so the race is on the November 3, 2026 ballot but is not contested. Minnesota's 5th Judicial District covers Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock and Watonwan counties; judges are elected at large across the whole district, so every voter there, not just voters in one county, votes on this seat. Minnesota judicial elections are nonpartisan and decided by plurality, with no runoff. Listed from the Secretary of State's certified general-election candidate table.

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Ballot Info Lookup

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Ballot info questions for 56054

Who is running for mayor in 56054?

Mayor races depend on the city tied to your address. Use the full-address lookup, then confirm with your city or county election office.

When is the primary election in this state?

Primary dates vary by state. Use this page's official election links to confirm the next primary deadline for your address.

Can I vote early in 56054?

Early voting rules vary by state and county. Check your official election links for dates, locations, and ID rules.

Where can I see a sample ballot for 56054?

Start with the Ballot Brief lookup results for this ZIP. If you need more district precision, use the Local page with a full address.

Data sources

Where does The Ballot Brief verify ballot info for 56054?

Vote.gov Official federal voter registration and voting information gateway.State election offices Official directory for state election deadlines, ballot rules, and voter resources.Federal Election Commission Federal candidate filings and campaign finance data.Congress.gov members Official congressional member records and identifiers.