ST. PAUL — The last monthly check-up on Minnesota’s job picture before the November election is being released.

State officials planned to publish employment statistics today that cover September. They include the unemployment rate, which was 4.3 percent the month before. An estimate of jobs gained or lost last month are also due.

The figures come amid the closing weeks of a campaign where the state of the economy is a central focus. Gov. Mark Dayton has been touting Minnesota’s relatively low rate in his race against Republican challenger Jeff Johnson. But Johnson has countered that Minnesota’s job growth is lagging other states.

The nation’s average unemployment rate sits at 5.9 percent.