The voting process: Answers to your voting and election questions in Minnesota
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Minnesota’s midterm general election is approaching, and MPR News is here to answer your questions.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting in person and by mail began Oct. 16.
Learn more about when and where to vote, how to register, what will be on your ballot, how to vote early and more.
Where can I find a list of candidates and the issues on the ballot for my area?
The MPR News Voter Guide will show you which races, candidates and ballot questions you will see when you vote. Enter your voter registration address at Build Your Ballot.
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When do I vote?
Early voting for the general election opens Sept. 18. That can be done by mail or in person at certain locations by Nov. 2.
Register in advance by Oct. 13 to save time on Election Day.
For in-person voting on Nov. 3, polling places are usually open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Some polling places in towns with fewer than 500 residents will not open until 10 a.m. due to different requirements.
As long as you're in line by 8 p.m. on Election Day, you can vote.
What is early voting? How do I do it?
Early voting allows you to cast your ballot directly into a ballot counter before Election Day. Ballots become available 46 days before an election.
If you’re interested in voting early and in person, you can find an early voting site through the Secretary of State’s list of locations.
General Election early voting timeline
Ballots for in-person and mail voting become available on Friday, Sept 18.
Early voting, where people feed their ballots directly into machines for eventual tabulation, is available starting Friday, Oct. 16.
The last day to vote early in person is Monday, Nov. 2, and ballots must be received by Tuesday, Nov. 3, which is Election Day.
Can I go to the early voting site and fill out a ballot there or do I have to request a ballot first?
You do not need to request a ballot beforehand or bring a ballot to vote at an in-person early voting location. Election officials will provide you with a ballot to complete that day.
If you are not already registered to vote, you can do so at the polling location if you show proof of residence.
What happens to my ballot if I vote in person before Election Day?
If you plan to vote early in person, you will receive a ballot and complete it at your polling place. When you've completed the ballot, it will be inserted in a ballot counter on site.
If you are filling out an absentee application in person, it will be the same process as getting the ballot mailed to you. For this process, a Social Security number or Minnesota ID is required.
Once you receive your ballot, fill it out, then after completing it return it to the election official at your polling place. Your ballot will go into an envelope, and a ballot board will review the envelope closer to or on Election Day.
Where do I vote?
You can find your polling place at the Secretary of State’s website. You can find both Election Day polling places and locations for early, in-person voting.
How do I register to vote? How do you register as a first-time voter?
You should register to vote with your home address. If you will be away from your registered address on Election Day, you can request an absentee ballot be sent to your current address.
More information about registering to vote without a permanent address can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.
In Minnesota, voters can register anytime through Election Day:
The deadline to register online is 11:59 p.m. 21 days before Election Day.
The deadline to register on paper is 5 p.m. 21 days before Election Day.
Register when you vote, either at a polling place or when voting absentee
If you are registering to vote at a polling place on Election Day, you will need to provide proof of residence. Some examples of proof of residence include the following:
Valid Minnesota driver’s license, learner’s permit or ID or their receipt
Tribal ID with name, address, photo and signature
U.S. Passport, U.S. Military or Veteran ID or Approved photo ID (can be expired) along with an approved document, such as a utility or rent bill, that confirms your home address
Bringing along a registered voter from your precinct to sign an oath and vouch for you
Photo ID with a student housing list
Valid registration in the same precinct
Notice of Late Registration
Staff person of a residential facility
To check your voter registration status, visit the Secretary of State’s website.
How and where do I find out if I'm still registered to vote?
You can check your voter registration status by filling out the secretary of state’s voter registration form.
What is an absentee ballot?
Absentee ballots are sent to a voter’s residence after they request one. An absentee ballot will come with instructions.
You will need a witness when you complete your absentee ballot. Your witness can be anyone who is a U.S. citizen and will be 18 years old by Election Day. Notaries are also acceptable witnesses. Your witness needs to see your blank ballot before you fill it out.
Return the absentee ballot and forms right away. Your vote will not count if it is received after Election Day.
When will I receive my absentee voting paperwork?
Once you apply, your application must be processed by your local election office.
You can check your application and ballot’s status here.
If you are interested in applying for an absentee ballot, you can do that here. If you would prefer to fill out this information on paper, you can do so by printing this PDF and submitting it to your local elections office.
Note: As we get closer to Nov. 3, remember that absentee ballots and forms must be received by Election Day.
I have not received my absentee ballot or I misplaced it. Can I still vote in person on Election Day?
If you have not received your ballot, check your application status to ensure all information given is correct and to verify that your city or county has it. If your ballot is still out for delivery after seven days, call your city or county voter information office or the Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State.
If you have misplaced your absentee ballot and want to vote in person, you will be given a new ballot at your polling place or early voting center. Your mail ballot will be canceled and will not be counted.
When filling out an absentee ballot, do I enter my address or the address of the place I vote at in person?
When filling out an absentee ballot, there are two sections (5 and 6) that ask voters to write their residential address and address of polling place that the absentee ballot should be sent.
I am an expat living in Canada. How can I get a ballot to vote?
The easiest way to request a ballot as a Minnesotan citizen living abroad is to request an overseas ballot. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act guarantees Americans living abroad the ability and right to vote absentee during elections. You do not have to actively be in the military. You just need to be a U.S. citizen temporarily living or staying abroad with the intent of returning to the U.S.
If you are not yet registered to vote, you can do so online if you have an email address and Minnesota ID or Social Security number. This application is recommended to be completed two months prior to Election Day to ensure time for your application to be processed, for your ballot to be sent to you, and for your ballot to be returned.
According to the Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State, choosing to receive your ballot through email is the fastest way to receive your ballot. However, all emailed materials must be printed, physically filled out and completed, then mailed.
Who can be a witness for my absentee ballot?
The witness can be either a notary or anyone who is a U.S. citizen and will be 18 years old by Election Day.
Your witness needs to see your blank ballot before you fill it out. Your witness must sign and write their address on the signature envelope. Notaries write their name and title, sign the signature envelope and mark their notary stamp.
Does the person witnessing a signature on an absentee ballot have to be a registered Minnesota voter?
Yes, the witness you choose to sign your absentee envelope must be a registered voter in the state of Minnesota. Your witness can also be a notary public or person with the authority to administer oaths.
How can I track my absentee ballot?
Visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Minnesota Ballot Tracker. You'll need to provide:
Your first and last name
Date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY format)
ID number (Minnesota driver's license/state ID, last 4 digits of SSN or U.S. passport for military/overseas voters)
The site notes that it “updates nightly, and your ballot may take several days to appear after processing.”
What do you do if your mail-in ballot is not showing up received and counted?
If you have returned your ballot by mail before Election Day and it is not showing as received or counted, it is most likely because ballots are not counted until Election Day. If the ballot is showing up as not received through the online tracking tool, allow 72 hours to pass and check its status again.
If you are worried your ballot got lost in the mail, request a new ballot. You have until 8 p.m. on Election Day to mail your ballot and until 5 p.m. on Election Day to drop your ballot off in person.
I forgot to put my ballot in the brown secret envelope, will my vote count in Minnesota?
If a voter forgets to use the brown secret envelope, or a ballot envelope, their vote will still count. This envelope is used to ensure voter privacy.
Your ballot will be placed in another ballot envelope to be counted later once it is received by election officials.
Does a person need to vote for every position open, such as the judges, for the ballot to meet the requirements to be counted?
Your ballot will still count if you leave certain positions open or do not vote for a particular office. Your vote will not be counted for the candidate that is left blank, but the rest of your ballot will be counted and valid.
