Minnesota attorney general election, 2010

Minnesota attorney general, 2010

2006 ← November 2, 2010 → 2014

Nominee Lori Swanson Christopher Barden Bill Dahn Party DFL Republican Independence Popular vote 1,075,552 839,049 102,871 Percentage 52.90% 41.27% 5.06%

Attorney General before election Lori Swanson DFL Elected Attorney General Lori Swanson DFL

The 2010 Minnesota attorney general election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 to elect the next Minnesota Attorney General, who will serve a four-year term to begin in January 2011. The primary elections were held August 10, 2010. Incumbent Attorney General Lori Swanson of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party won re-election after her first term in office.^[1]

Candidates

Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

Incumbent Lori Swanson won endorsement at the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party convention. She faced only token opposition in her party's primary from Leo F. Meyer,^[2] and easily won her party's nomination in the August 10, 2010 primary.^[3]

Republican

Edina attorney and psychologist Christopher Barden earned the endorsement of the Republican party at its state convention. He was challenged in his party primary by Sharon Anderson, a perennial candidate who won her party's endorsement for Attorney General in 1994.^[4] In the August 10, 2010 primary, Barden earned 54 percent of the vote to defeat Anderson and earn his party's nomination.^[5]

Independence Party

Activist Bill Dahn, who has no formal legal education, is the only candidate seeking the office of Attorney General as a member of the Independence Party^[6]

The Resource Party

Activist David J. Hoch is contesting the election for The Resource Party.^[7]

Results

2010 Minnesota Attorney General election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	DFL	Lori Swanson	1,075,552	52.90%	-0.34%
	Republican	Chris Barden	839,049	41.27%	+0.55%
	Independence	Bill Dahn	102,871	5.06%	+1.01%
	The Resource Party	David J. Hoch	14,040	0.69%	N/A
	Write-ins		1,613	0.08%
Majority			236,503	11.63%
	DFL hold		Swing

Note: The ±% column reflects the change in total number of votes won by each party from the previous election.

References

1. ^ Swanson Wins AG Race, Ritchie Re-Elected
2. ^ Secretary of State
3. ^ Star Tribune
4. ^ Secretary of State
5. ^ Star Tribune
6. ^ Secretary of State
7. ^ Secretary of State

External links

• Minnesota Secretary of State - Elections & Voting
• Minnesota State Offices at Project Vote Smart
• Campaign contributions for 2010 Minnesota Governor from Follow the Money
• State Elections at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Official campaign websites

• Sharon Anderson
• Chris Barden
• Bill Dahn
• David Hoch
• Lori Swanson