Minnesota presidential primary


A Minnesota presidential primary has been held five times: 1916, 1952, 1956, 1992 and 2020. The state of Minnesota has normally held presidential caucuses instead. On May 22, 2016 Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signed a bill that reinstated a presidential primary starting in 2020.

1916

The first Minnesota presidential primary was held on Tuesday, March 14, 1916. Along with the Democratic and Republican parties, the Prohibition Party also held a primary. The Progressive Party was eligible to hold an election but no candidates filed.

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The second Minnesota presidential primary was held on Tuesday, March 18, 1952.

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The third Minnesota presidential primary was held on Tuesday, March 20, 1956.

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The fourth Minnesota presidential primary was held on Tuesday, April 7, 1992. The closed primary was binding for the Independent- Republicans Party, but for the Democratic Farmer Labor Party it was only a "beauty contest" as the DFL awarded its delegates at a March 3 caucuses to Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa.

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The fifth Minnesota presidential primary was held on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. However, controversy over the Republican Party of Minnesota excluding challengers to President Trump sparked a legal challenge by James Martin, a voter and Rocky De La Fuente, a presidential candidate jeopardizing the Minnesota Secretary of State from being able to print the ballots for both the Democratic and Republican primary elections.

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