2026 Municipal Offices for Election

• Mayor
• Ward 1 Councilmember
• Ward 3 Councilmember
• Ward 5 Councilmember

The City Clerk's Office handles filing for City offices, as well as for Rochester Public Schools School Board. Candidates wishing to file to be on the ballot for other offices need to file with the appropriate filing official.

2026 Rochester Public Schools Offices for Election

• School Board Member Position 2
• School Board Member Position 4
• School Board Member Position 5
• School Board Member Position 6

For filing questions about the school board, contact the City Clerk's Office.

For all other questions relating to school board members, reach out to Rochester Public Schools.

Filing Dates

Filing for 2026 Municipal offices will take place from Tuesday, May 19, 2024, through Tuesday, June 2, 2026, Monday - Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each business day.

Candidates could file:

• In person with the City Clerk's office at City Hall, 201 4th Street SE, Rochester MN 55904. Appointments encouraged but not necessary. 
• Electronically by email to elections@rochestermn.gov. 
• By mail or delivery service.

Required at time of filing:

1. Affidavit of Candidacy- must be notarized prior to submission or at time of in person filing
2. Candidate Name Pronunciation Guide
3. Ethics Disclosure Form (only required for City Council candidates)
4. Fee ($50 for Council, $2 for School Board)

Withdrawal of Candidacy

 Municipal candidates who file for an office can withdraw from candidacy by filing an affidavit of withdrawal in the City Clerk's Office no later than 5:00 p.m. on the second day following the close of the filing period, Thursday, June 4, 2026.

Affidavit of Withdrawal Form

Cost to File 

City Council Filing Fee

The filing fee for all City offices is set at $50.00 by the Rochester City Charter.

Instead of a fee:

Candidates may also present a petition with signatures of eligible voters in lieu of the filing fee, pursuant to Minn. Stat. 204B.11 Subd. 2. The number of required signatures is equal to the lesser of 5% of all voters casting a ballot the last time the office was on the ballot or 500.

School Board Filing Fee

The filing fee for school board member is set by state law at $2.00.

Qualifications for Council Member At Large

• Must be a resident of the city of Rochester for at least 30 days prior to filing for candidacy for the office.
  Must be a qualified voter in the State of Minnesota.
• Candidates filing for office must be 21 years of age or more when the oath of said office is taken. (Oath of office will be taken on the first Monday in January at the first Council meeting of the new term.)

Qualifications for Council Member

• Must be a resident of the ward for which the person is running for at least 30 days prior to filing for candidacy for the office, or of the City of Rochester for the councilmember-at-large and Mayor.
• Must be a qualified voter in the State of Minnesota.
• Candidates filing for office must be 21 years of age or more when the oath of said office is taken. (Oath of office will be taken on the first Monday in January at the first Council meeting of the new term.)
• Candidates may not file for any other office to be voted on at the same Charter Election.

Campaign Finance Reporting

Candidates for City offices and any campaign committees they may have must submit regular fundraising and expenditure reports. 

An initial report must be filed with the City Clerk's Office within 14 days of spending or raising $750. Subsequent reports are due before both the primary and general election, as well as following the general election. 

Candidates are encouraged to review campaign reporting requirements from the Office of Secretary of State.

All candidate finance reports are maintained on the City's website for a period of four years.

• Notice of 2024 Election Filing for Municipal & School Board Candidates

2024 Municipal Offices for Election

• Councilmember at Large
• Ward 2 Councilmember
• Ward 4 Councilmember
• Ward 6 Councilmember

The City Clerk's Office handles filing for City offices, as well as for Rochester Public Schools School Board. Candidates wishing to file to be on the ballot for other offices need to file with the appropriate filing official.

2024 Rochester Public Schools Offices for Election

• School Board Member Position 1
• School Board Member Position 3
• School Board Member Position 7

For filing questions about the school board, contact the City Clerk's Office.

For all other questions relating to school board members, reach out to Rochester Public Schools.

Other Offices for Election

• Federal Offices: Minnesota Secretary of State
• State and Judicial Offices: Minnesota Secretary of State or Olmsted County for county residents
• County Offices: Olmsted County