Minnesota’s Election: What It Means For Gun Owners

Minnesota’s election results give gun owners a reason to pay attention to the next legislative session. They do not, by themselves, change the law.

Your Permit to Carry did not become invalid on election night. Campaign promises did not become restrictions overnight. But who controls the Capitol matters, and the results point toward a clearer path for firearms restrictions next year.

This article reflects unofficial results and information available Nov. 6, 2026.

Who will control the Capitol?

The Secretary of State’s unofficial results show Amy Klobuchar leading Lisa Demuth in the governor’s race. The Minnesota House’s nonpartisan news service, Session Daily, reports projected DFL majorities of 77–57 in the House and 39–28 in the Senate.

If those results hold, the DFL will control both chambers and the governor’s office. State certification is scheduled for Nov. 19.

That matters because proposals that stalled in a tied House could have a better chance of advancing. It does not mean every DFL legislator will vote for every restriction. Committee hearings, amendments and individual votes still matter. The House and Senate must pass identical legislation before it goes to the governor.

What should gun owners watch?

We don’t have to guess at every proposal. There is already legislation to read.

Senate File 4067 passed the Minnesota Senate 34–33 on May 4, 2026. Its official history does not show it becoming law.

The bill’s second engrossment would expand the definition of covered semiautomatic military-style assault weapons, restrict dealer sales of covered firearms and magazines, and require owners to certify covered items with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

The proposed magazine definition uses a capacity of more than 17 rounds, with specified exclusions. Certification would have to be renewed every three years, and the proposal allows certification fees.

For someone who already owns a covered firearm or magazine, the ownership and transfer provisions matter. The text allows continued ownership subject to certification and contains exceptions and rules for certain transfers. Calling it simply a ban does not explain all of that.

Those are selected provisions, not a complete breakdown. The proposal also addresses firearms storage, school-property restrictions, unserialized firearms and extreme risk protection orders.

Axios reported Nov. 5 that Klobuchar supports signing an assault-weapons ban, while indicating that changes to the proposal are likely.

That is a policy position, not an enacted law. We do not yet know the final wording of legislation that might move next year. Dates printed in an unsuccessful bill are not current compliance deadlines.

What does this mean for Permit to Carry holders?

The election itself did not change where you may carry or the legal standards governing self-defense.

Minnesota’s Permit to Carry statute remains separate from proposals regulating firearm sales or magazine ownership. A bill affecting one should not automatically be described as changing the other. We need to read exactly which statutes a proposal would amend.

The same applies to hunting. Hunting regulations and Permit to Carry rules are not interchangeable.

For now, follow existing law. As legislation develops, look at the definitions, exceptions, penalties and effective dates. Those details determine what a bill would mean for your firearms, your equipment and your ability to defend yourself.

If you contact your legislators, ask about specific provisions. Explain how they would affect you as a lawful gun owner. A clear question about an actual bill is more useful than repeating a headline.

Constitutional protections still matter. But neither passage of a restriction nor a successful court challenge is guaranteed. Filing a lawsuit also does not automatically suspend a law.

The election changed the political outlook. What changes legally will depend on the bills lawmakers introduce, the votes they take, and the measures that actually become law. That is what gun owners need to watch.

If you want to help protect our Second Amendment rights here at home, consider joining the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus.

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