Hennepin County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026

Sitting Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty does not appear on the Minnesota Secretary of State certified 2026 filing list, so this countywide office is open. Five candidates filed for the open, nonpartisan office that prosecutes felonies and juvenile cases across Hennepin County, and the August 11 nonpartisan primary narrows the field to the two who advance to the November 3 ballot.

• Anders Folk▾

  

  Former acting United States Attorney for Minnesota and a Marine Corps veteran, per his campaign site, Folk describes a strategic, data-driven approach that concentrates enforcement where crime occurs. Per the Sun newspapers questionnaire he would create a crime victims' bill of rights and focus resources on repeat and violent offenders.

  Priorities: Strategic enforcement focused on where crime occurs, per his campaign site · Data-driven intervention to prevent harm and protect vulnerable residents, per his campaign site · Fair handling of juvenile justice and crime victims, per his campaign site

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• Cedrick Frazier▾

  

  Frazier is a sitting Minnesota state representative, per his campaign site, which also identifies him as the DFL and labor endorsed candidate in this race. The Sun newspapers primary voter guide describes him as a DFL state legislator focused on violent crime, workers' rights and abortion access.

  Priorities: Prosecuting federal agents who violated Minnesota law during Operation Metro Surge, per his campaign site · Ensuring no one is above the law, per his campaign site · Protecting immigrant communities from unjust deportations, per the Sun newspapers voter guide

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• Diane M. Krenz▾

  

  Krenz is a career prosecutor who spent more than 40 years in the Hennepin County Attorney's Office handling juvenile delinquency, sexual assault, murder and white collar cases, per her campaign site. She recently stepped away from that office, citing concerns about weakened accountability and diminished public trust, per her campaign site. The Sun newspapers primary voter guide describes her as retired after 40 years

  Priorities: Holding violent and repeat offenders accountable, per her campaign site · Rebuilding relationships with law enforcement, per her campaign site · Ensuring victims participate in the justice system, per her campaign site

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• Hao Nguyen▾

  

  Nguyen is an assistant county attorney and criminal trials division director, according to the Sun newspapers primary voter guide. His campaign site says he previously worked as a police officer and a community corrections officer before becoming a prosecutor and now leads one of the largest prosecutor units in Minnesota.

  Priorities: Lowering gun violence and reducing auto theft, per the Sun newspapers voter guide · Cutting racial disparities in the justice system, per the Sun newspapers voter guide · Holding people accountable while also providing support, per his campaign site

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• Matt Pelikan▾

  

  Pelikan is a litigation partner at the Minneapolis law firm MADEL PA, per his campaign site, which says he clerked for Minnesota Supreme Court Justices Paul Anderson and David Lillehaug. His campaign site also notes he earned his law degree at the University of Minnesota, where he was editor in chief of the Minnesota Law Review, and that he previously worked for U.S. Senators Paul Wellstone and Mark Dayton. The Sun n

  Priorities: Making the county safer and more just, per his campaign site · Making the law work for everyone and not just the powerful, per his campaign site

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Four candidates filed for this North Minneapolis area seat on the seven member Hennepin County Board, and the August 11 nonpartisan primary cuts the field to the two who advance to the November 3 ballot.

• Sharon El-Amin▾

  

  El-Amin is a Minneapolis Public Schools board director and executive director of the McKinley Community Center, according to the Sun newspapers primary voter guide. Her campaign site says she has spent more than 30 years in North Minneapolis, where she raised her children, built a small business and organized around school reform and community food access.

  Priorities: Housing stability, per her campaign site · Accountable public safety, per her campaign site · Greater communication and transparency from county government, per the Sun newspapers voter guide

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• Irene FernandoIncumbent▾

  

  Fernando is the sitting Hennepin County commissioner for District 2 and has chaired the county board since 2023, per her campaign site. The Sun newspapers primary voter guide lists her occupation as county board member and notes she holds degrees from the University of Minnesota, including a Ph.D. in organizational leadership.

  Priorities: Expanding affordable housing and reducing homelessness, per her campaign site · Preventing ICE enforcement actions on county property, per her campaign site · Addressing domestic and gun violence as public health problems, per the Sun newspapers voter guide

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• Viviana Salazar▾

  

  Salazar is a healthcare administrator who most recently supervised more than 20 employees across five medical specialties at University of Minnesota Physicians, per her campaign site. Her campaign site also says she chairs the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission, founded the nonprofit Nuestra Lucha MN and is completing an executive MBA at the Carlson School of Management. The Sun newspapers primary voter guide notes

  Priorities: Public safety and violence prevention, per her campaign site · Housing stability and pathways to homeownership, per her campaign site · Relief from rising property taxes, per her campaign site

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• Makeda Zulu▾

  

  Zulu is senior director of partnerships at the University of Minnesota's Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center, according to the Sun newspapers primary voter guide and her campaign site. Her campaign site describes nearly 30 years of executive leadership experience and says she is a lifelong North Minneapolis resident.

  Priorities: A firm 2028 closure commitment for the HERC waste facility, per the Sun newspapers voter guide · An independent inspector general and citizen oversight commission, per the Sun newspapers voter guide · Environmental justice, healthcare access and transportation equity, per the Sun newspapers voter guide

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Six candidates filed for this Southwest Minneapolis and St. Louis Park seat on the Hennepin County Board, and the August 11 nonpartisan primary reduces the field to the two who advance to the November 3 ballot.

• Anthony Abousweid▾

  Owner of a trading card and gaming shop and a small business entrepreneur, per the Sun Sailor voter guide. Per the Sun Sailor questionnaire he wants the county to focus on affordable housing, safer neighborhoods, mental health and addiction treatment, and recovery of commercial corridors.

  Priorities: Affordable housing and safer neighborhoods, per his Sun Sailor questionnaire answers · Mental health and addiction treatment capacity, per his Sun Sailor questionnaire answers · Recovery of commercial corridors, per his Sun Sailor questionnaire answers
• Josh Bassais▾

  

  Labor advocate turned marketing manager who organized with LIUNA and UNITE HERE and served as Lyndale Neighborhood Board president, per his campaign site. Per the Sun Sailor questionnaire his focus is public safety, county service delivery and housing.

  Priorities: Securing funding so HCMC avoids insolvency, per his campaign site · Addressing rising property taxes and housing costs, per his campaign site · Lyndale Avenue safety improvements that protect mature trees, per his campaign site

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• Kevin Chavis▾

  Chavis has suspended his campaign but still prints on the August 11 ballot, because the Hennepin County DFL convention fell after the deadline to withdraw, according to the Sun newspapers voter guide. He has spent eight years at Hennepin County helping people in substance use treatment reach healthcare and housing, and previously served as a steward and organizer with SEIU Local 26 and AFSCME Local 34, per his campai

  Priorities: Affordability through stable housing, childcare and healthcare access, per his campaign site · Universal single-payer healthcare and keeping the public hospital, per his campaign site · Climate action including renewable energy and transit electrification, per his campaign site

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• Marion GreeneIncumbent▾

  

  Three-term Hennepin County commissioner for District 3 and current board chair, per Hennepin County. Her campaign site frames the race around building on county work in housing, climate resiliency and transit, and per the Sun Sailor questionnaire she also lists HCMC's financial security and completion of the Green Line light rail extension.

  Priorities: Expanding affordable housing, per her campaign site · Climate resiliency and race equity work, per her campaign site · Regional connectivity and accessibility through transit, per her campaign site

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• Abdihakim Arabow Ibrahim▾

  

  Ibrahim is an engineer and a former vice chair of the St. Louis Park School Board, per his campaign site, which says he was the first Somali American elected to that board. His campaign site says he immigrated to the United States in 2014 and lives in St. Louis Park.

  Priorities: A unified family assistance hub to simplify access to county services, per his campaign site · Setting a closure timeline for the HERC waste facility with transition planning, per his campaign site · Fully staffing the county fraud prevention team and adding community oversight, per his campaign site

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• Anthony Walsh▾

  Lawyer who works for Hennepin County as a community engagement specialist, per the Sun Sailor voter guide. Per the Sun Sailor questionnaire he wants the county to invest in youth enrichment and affordable youth activities, framing his approach as upstream harm prevention rather than downstream harm reduction.

  Priorities: Investment in youth enrichment programming, per his Sun Sailor questionnaire answers · Upstream harm prevention rather than downstream harm reduction, per his Sun Sailor questionnaire answers · Keeping youth activities affordable for families, per his Sun Sailor questionnaire answers

Four candidates filed for District 1 on the board that governs the Three Rivers Park District regional park system in suburban Hennepin County, listed by the state as County Park Commissioner District 1, and the August 11 nonpartisan primary narrows the field to two for November 3.

• Marge BeardIncumbent▾

  

  Beard is the sitting Three Rivers Park District commissioner for District 1 and a retired business leader in accounting, finance and information technology, according to the Sun newspapers primary voter guide. Her campaign site says she previously served on the Plymouth City Council and founded Twin Cities BEST Dollars for Scholars, a nonprofit that has awarded more than $100,000 in STEM scholarships.

  Priorities: Keeping parks accessible, well maintained and financially sustainable, per the Sun newspapers voter guide · Protecting and preserving natural resources, per her campaign site · Introducing new visitors to the parks and promoting wellness, per the Sun newspapers voter guide

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• Melvin A. Knapton▾

  Horticulture instructor of 42 years who also runs a family pick-your-own farm, per the Sun newspapers voter guide. He wants more educational programming in ecology, home food production and pollinators as the park system nears its 75th anniversary, per the same questionnaire.

  Priorities: Educational programming in ecology, home food production and pollinators, per his Sun newspapers questionnaire answers · Fiscal responsibility in the park district budget, per his Sun newspapers questionnaire answers · Expanded offerings as the park system approaches its 75th anniversary, per his Sun newspapers questionnaire answers
• Declan McCrory▾

  

  Works in positive supports at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, per the Sun newspapers voter guide. His campaign site emphasizes protecting natural resources, keeping parks and trails accessible, and responsible financial stewardship of taxpayer resources.

  Priorities: Protecting and enhancing natural resources, per his campaign site · Keeping parks and trails safe, accessible and high quality, per his campaign site · Responsible financial stewardship of taxpayer resources, per his campaign site

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• Joey Rodriguez▾

  Local small business owner and military veteran who helped build forward operating bases in Afghanistan, per his campaign site. Per the Sun newspapers voter guide he wants more community engagement and better facilities at underserved parks such as Crow Hassan Park Reserve.

  Priorities: Safe, clean and well maintained parks for families, per his campaign site · Parks that stay welcoming and focused on recreation and safety, per his campaign site · Accountability and responsiveness to the people who use the parks, per his campaign site

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• Angela Conley▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.