Welcome to Ballot Without Borders for Pennington County, Minnesota. Local election information, voting resources, and community updates for Pennington County will be added here after they are checked against official local and Minnesota election sources.
2026 General Election in Pennington County
Candidates who received the most votes in Pennington County (unofficial, AP county results, checked Nov. 4, 2026):
- U.S. Senate: Tafoya (R)
- Governor: Demuth (R)
These are statewide races, so this shows who led in Pennington County, not a local winner. Statewide, Peggy Flanagan (D) won the U.S. Senate race and Amy Klobuchar (D) won the governor’s race, according to AP race calls. Results are unofficial until certified.
Voting in Minnesota: Rules for Pennington County Voters
Voting rules are set by each state. This is a summary of Minnesota rules for Pennington County voters, checked Nov. 4, 2026, from Vote.gov (U.S. government), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and Ballotpedia. Rules and dates can change, so confirm with Minnesota’s official election website or your local election office before each election.
Registering to vote
- Online: by 21 days before Election Day.
- By mail: must be received 21 days before Election Day.
- In person: available through Election Day (same-day registration).
- Register or check your registration (Minnesota on Vote.gov)
Primary elections
Minnesota has open primaries: there is no party registration, and on primary day you choose one party’s ballot. You can vote in only one party’s primary.
Voter ID
Minnesota does not require most voters to show an ID document to vote in person; election workers confirm identity in other ways, such as checking a signature or personal information. First-time voters who registered by mail may need to show ID under federal law.
Early voting
Starts: Forty-six days before election (in-person absentee). Eighteen days before the election (early in-person voting). Ends: 5 p.m. the day before election. Locations and hours are set locally.
Voting by mail
Any Minnesota voter can request an absentee/mail ballot. No excuse is needed.
Pennington County election office
Pennington County Courthouse
101 Main Ave N, PO Box 616
Thief River Falls, MN 56701-0616
Phone: (218) 683-7000
Fax: (218) 683-7026
Email: jmherzberg@penningtonmn.gov
You can also look up your local election office on Minnesota’s official election website.
Contact information from the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s local election office directory (FVAP.gov, U.S. Department of Defense), checked Nov. 4, 2026. Some listed emails are for military and overseas voters; call the office if you’re not sure who to contact.
Sources: Vote.gov (registration deadlines); NCSL voter ID (updated Sept. 3, 2026), early voting (updated Aug. 11, 2026) and absentee voting (updated July 17, 2026); Ballotpedia primary types (as of Aug. 2026).