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   (St. Michael, Minn.) – Minnesota’s 1,776 townships will hold their annual meetings on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Known as Township Day, these meetings are held each year on the second Tuesday in March and are a defining feature of township government. On Township Day, residents gather with their neighbors to discuss local issues and vote directly on matters such as the township’s annual tax levy — a unique example of direct democracy in action. Citizens attending annual meetings may also discuss and vote on other township business. In addition, many townships across the state will conduct township officer elections on Township Day.

    “Township Day is one of the most visible examples of grassroots democracy anywhere in Minnesota,” said Minnesota Association of Townships Executive Director Jeff Krueger. “It’s an opportunity for residents to come together, share their perspectives, and make decisions that directly affect their community.”

    “If you live in a township, we encourage you to attend your annual meeting on Tuesday, March 10,” Krueger continued. “Meeting times and locations are published in local newspapers, posted on township websites, or can be obtained by contacting your township clerk. Townships serve more than 900,000 Minnesotans and represent a truly local form of government,” Krueger added. “Township Day annual meetings give residents a direct voice in how their community is governed.”

    Information on Minnesota’s townships: There are approximately 918,256 township residents living in 1,776 townships across Minnesota. Townships exist in every region of the state, including the metropolitan area. Some townships, with populations exceeding 1,000, function similarly to small cities. While many townships remain rural and agricultural, others include a mix of residential, light commercial, and industrial development. See a map of Minnesota townships here.

   A map of all Minnesota Townships, available for media use and created by the Minnesota State Demographic Center, can be found here.

   The tradition of Township Day: The town meeting tradition dates back to colonial America. New England town meetings provided citizens with a direct means of exercising local authority and played a critical role in the development of democracy by emphasizing collaboration and problem-solving at the community level.

   Background on townships: Townships were Minnesota’s original form of local government, established at the state’s founding. The state adopted 36-square-mile land survey sections as township boundaries. Today, townships are governed by elected boards of supervisors and provide essential services to residents.

   The mission of the Minnesota Association of Townships (MAT) is to support and promote the township form of local government in Minnesota through educational programs, structured advocacy, vital collaboration, and procurement of critical resources fundamental to local governments.

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