Absentee voting begins in Minn.

Absentee voting begins Friday for Minnesota voters who can't make it to the polls on Election Day, which is 46 days away.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie says he expects almost 300,000 people to vote as absentees this year.

State law allows absentee voting for voters who won't be home on Election Day or can't vote then for other reasons, including illness or disability, religious observance, an officially declared emergency or service as an election judge.

Absentee voting is available in person at county auditors' and some municipal clerks' offices, or by mail.

In-person absentee voting continues until 5 p.m. the day before the election. Those offices are also open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Saturday before the election.

To vote by mail, voters must submit an application and get the absentee ballot back to local election officials by Election Day. Voters can track their ballot online.