News Room

SAINT PAUL – On April 16, 2026, the Election Data and Science Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced that Minnesota ranked #1 on the Elections Performance Index, a non-partisan, biennial survey and analysis comparing election administration policy and performance across the country.

“Elections are a team effort – all Minnesotans should be proud of this national recognition of excellence in our state,” said Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon. “Our state has long been a leader in election administration - thanks to our strong laws that balance accessibility and security, the diligent work of our local election officials, and the high participation rate of our citizens.”

The 2024 Elections Performance Index considers data on the electoral environment, electoral infrastructure and general administration, administration of mail voting, and administration of in-person voting. Among the key figures highlighted by the Index for Minnesota include:

• 90.66% voter registration rate, 3 percentage points above the national average
• 76.35% voter turnout rate, 11 percentage points above the national average
• 4 of 4 voting information tools available
• 6.7 minute voting wait time, about 3.5 minutes less than the national average

About the Elections Performance Index

The EPI was first launched in 2013 by the Pew Charitable Trusts, following close consultation and development with an advisory group of leading election officials and academic experts. In 2017, management and development of the EPI passed to the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, which is dedicated to the nonpartisan application of scientific principles to election research and administration. The index was made possible through the generosity of the Pew Charitable Trusts, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Democracy Fund, and the provost of MIT.