Your guide to voting in Minnesota: Registration, absentee ballots and general election details
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Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, but Minnesota also has multiple options for early voting.
Early voting started on Sept. 20, and in the first week the Secretary of State reported 431,502 ballots were sent and 32,788 were accepted.
As of Oct. 24 the Minnesota Sectary of State’s Office reports 864,385 voters have requested mail-in or absentee ballots. This exceeds recent years, other than for the 2020 election when COVID precautions were in full swing.
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Since the launch of our Voter Guide and our Build Your Ballot tool, we asked MPR News readers what questions they have regarding the election. Below are the most frequently asked questions we received and other resources to help you be more informed. This is an ongoing list and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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Voter registration | Early and absentee voting
Candidate and amendment information
Voter requirements and acceptance
Voter registration
How do you register as a first-time voter?
— Becky Finkle
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 are able to register anytime through Election Day:
The deadline to register online has passed
The deadline to register on paper has passed (by 5 p.m. 21 days before Election Day)
Within 20 days before the election, you can submit a registration form, but it will not be processed until 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:
A valid Minnesota driver’s license, permit or ID with your current address
Tribal ID
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
To check your voter registration status, visit the Secretary of State’s website.
I moved and I haven’t had a chance to update my license. Which address do I use to register to vote?
— Raya
It depends on the circumstances of your move, according to the secretary of state’s website.
If you moved to Minnesota more than 21 days before the election, you can register to vote using your new address. If you moved less than 20 days before the election, you will not be able to vote in Minnesota during this election.
If you are moving within Minnesota before an election, you should register and vote at the address you will be living at on Election Day.
If you're moving from Minnesota, you will need to consult the voting laws of the state you are moving to.
How and where do I find out if I'm still registered to vote?
— Margaretta Davis
You can check your voter registration status by filling out the secretary of state’s voter registration form.
Can you vote for a Democrat if you are registered Republican and Republican for others?
— Ranee Cliff
Yes. Federal law establishes it doesn’t matter if you are registered in one political party or another or who you voted for in the primary election — citizens can vote for any candidate from any party in the general election, as well as candidates from different parties down the ballot.
It is important to note Minnesota does not have party registration, so this would not apply. You can vote for candidates from any party or a mix of parties on Nov. 5.
My husband made a mistake writing in his driver’s license number on his registration. How can he fix this?
— Gayle
To fix a typo in your voter registration, contact your county election office.
Early and absentee voting
I want to vote early. Can I just walk in, get a ballot and vote?
— Karen Strane
Yes. Early voting in Minnesota began on Sept. 20. You can vote absentee or by visiting an early voting location in your county — typically a city hall building or a county government office. Hours of operation are posted on the secretary of states website.
If someone has gone into a nursing home and no longer resides in their home, what documentation can they register with? Are there ballots at early polling places where a family member can pick one up for that individual?
— Sharry Weidner
If you have lived in Minnesota for at least 20 days prior to the election, you can either register or reregister at this person’s new address, in this case the residential facility. If you are voting in person and need to register same-day, you can do this one of two ways:
Have a staff person from the facility go to the voting location and vouch that they know this person lives there. The staff person must show an employee ID unless a staff list was brought or sent to the polling place in advance.
This person can show a photo ID that is expired and/or has their former address as long as they also show documentation proving they live at their new address. This could include showing a bill or account statement, or a signed lease or rent agreement as long as the lease is through Election Day.
There is also the option to do agent delivery where someone who is at least 18 years old, has a pre-existing relationship with this person and is not a candidate picks up and delivers the ballot to this resident.
You must give the agent a completed absentee ballot application and a request for agent delivery of absentee ballot form. The agent should take both forms to the local election office in order to receive a ballot. The agent will need to show identification with their name and signature.
Someone cannot be an agent for more than three voters in an election.
They can pick up a ballot starting seven days before the election. The agent or the person you designate must return the ballot to the same election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. They can also return the ballot by mail, as long as it gets to election officials on or before Election Day in order to count.
“Remember, Minnesota is a state that requires that someone who’s voting by mail, by absentee ballot, get their ballot back by election day,” said Secretary of State Steve Simon. “There is some confusion out there because there are a number of states, including big ones like California, where the rule is that as long as it’s postmarked by election day, then you’re good to go. But that's not the law in Minnesota.”
Local election officials also send teams of election judges (poll workers) to nursing homes and hospitals within 35 days of the election. They can provide applications and issue ballots to eligible residents of the facility, give help and will return ballots to local election officials.
I want to vote early, but I want to vote in person and place my ballot into the scanner myself. Is there a window of time where this is available?
- Dani
This process, called direct balloting, opened on Oct. 18. When you go to an in-person early voting location now through Election Day, you will place the ballot into the tabulator yourself.
When does direct balloting begin?
— Terrence Sherman
Direct balloting is the optional process local election offices can choose to use where a voter can insert their absentee ballot directly into a ballot tabulator.
As of June 1, 2023, voters can place their absentee ballot into a tabulator 18 days before election day, which is an extension from the original 7-day window.
Direct balloting opens Oct. 18 and the results will not be processed until after the closing of polls on 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?
— Cindy
You do not need to request 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.
Absentee voting
Absentee ballots are sent to a voter’s residence after they request it through their registration. An absentee ballot will come with instructions.
You will need a witness when you complete your absentee ballot. The witness can be either a registered Minnesota voter or a notary. In order for your ballot to be accepted, the witness portion must be completed.
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?
— Becky Nichols
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. 5, remember that absentee ballots and forms must be received by Election Day.
Who can be a witness for my absentee ballot?
— Jean Johansen
The witness can be either:
A registered Minnesota voter
A notary
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.
How do I get a ballot for my out-of-state college student? Can a college student reregister to vote in their school town or do they need to get an absentee ballot from their hometown?
— Nicole Jurgens and Bonnie Hansen
According to the secretary of state’s website, students should be registered to vote with the address they currently consider “home.” This can be a dorm, apartment or parent’s house.
Pre-registration for the 2024 general election is closed. If a student was previously registered in their hometown but would like to vote in their college town, they are able to register at their polling place on Election Day.
On Election Day, a voter would need to provide identification and proof of residence.
If a student will not be at their “home” address on Election Day, they will need to request an absentee ballot.
How can I vote online?
— Ann Peterson
Voting online is not available. And you can no longer register online.
However, you can check your registration online.
How do I get an election ballot to print?
— Shirley Fritz
You cannot print an official ballot, but you can view and print a sample ballot. This will allow you to see how your ballot will be organized.
I received a mail-in ballot. Can I fill it out and just bring it with me to the polling place on Nov. 5?
— Linda
No. You can not drop your ballot off at your polling place on Election Day.
According to the secretary of state’s website, you can return your ballot in person any time before 8 p.m. on Election Day to the election office that sent your ballot.
Voters in specific counties and cities may be eligible to return their ballot to one of the designated ballot drop box locations. If your county or city is not listed, you must return your ballot to the office which mailed it.
I am a resident of Plymouth. My daughter is a resident of Medina. Can I drop her absentee ballot at the Medina City Hall tomorrow?
– M
Yes, according to the secretary of state’s website you can return ballots for up to three other voters. If you are returning a ballot for a person other than yourself, you will need to show identification with name and signature when returning the ballot to the election office it was sent from.
I requested a ballot for my husband and myself, but we haven't received them yet. We are going to go and vote in person because it doesn't look like the ballots are going to come. Now I'm worried that it will look like we voted twice.
— Rebecca Gunderson
If you have requested an absentee ballot and would like to vote in person instead, you can do so if your absentee ballot hasn’t been counted by your election officials.
According to the Secretary of State’s website, you may still cast a ballot in person by voting at your polling place on Election Day or at your local early voting location.
After voting in person, the unique ballot ID number on your original absentee ballot will be invalidated, so if it is returned to the election office, officials will not count it.
Can I verify my mail-in ballot was processed and counted? When do they count and record mail in ballots?
— Jeff, Colleen Colonna, Elaine Weismann, Linda Nielsen and Georgia Skare
You can check where your ballot is in the voting process by visiting the secretary of state absentee ballot tracker. Using this ballot tracker will allow you to see if it was received in the mail, if the ballot was accepted and when it is counted.
A ballot is accepted if:
The name, address and ID match what was on the absentee application
The voter signed the envelope
A witness completed the witness portion
If your ballot is rejected more than five days before the election, you will be mailed a replacement ballot and an explanation as to why it was rejected. The secretary of state explains that if your absentee ballot is rejected within five days of the election, officials will try to contact you to inform you.
After an absentee ballot has been accepted, they are set aside in a secure area and separated by precinct. They are inserted into ballot counters starting 18 days before Election Day.
Signature envelopes are opened and set aside so ballots remain anonymous. Ballot envelopes are then opened and reviewed by ballot board members.
Results are not tallied until 8 p.m. on Election Day when polls close.
Do you have to fill a choice for every race on the ballot?
— Tom
No. You can vote for as many candidates or measures as you choose. According to Minnesota State Statute 204C.22, Subdivision 15, if no name or response to a question is marked and no name is written on a ballot, the ballot will still be counted for the responses or names that were marked.
However, leaving your response blank on a “yes” or “no” ballot measure vote would not support the measure and count as a “no” vote.
Candidate and amendment information
How do I get information on the judges running for office, most of whom do not campaign or advertise?
— Melissa Wiger and Victor Urbanowicz
Use our Build Your Ballot tool and type in your address to see responses and information from candidates in races on your ballot, including judges.
You can also look at all the judicial races on our Voter Guide.
Additionally, you can view the profiles of current judges on the Minnesota Judicial Branch’s website.
What is the difference between the state constitutional amendment on the ballot and the current state constitution? And what does voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ mean?
— Elaine Hoffman and Susan Dominik
You’ll see a proposed constitutional amendment on your ballot this election. It is called “Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Renewal” and proposes to slightly modify the existing provisions regarding the proceeds of the Minnesota State Lottery.
According to documents from the Minnesota Legislature, the proposed Minnesota state constitutional amendment would extend the transfer of proceeds from the state-operated lottery to the environmental and natural resources trust fund through Dec. 31, 2050.
Currently, 40 percent of the profits go to the environment and natural resources trust fund. This fund supports projects to protect the state’s natural resources.
Additionally, the amendment would increase the amount of money that can be spent from the fund each year from 5 percent to 7 percent of the fund’s market value.
This trust fund is set to expire in 2025. The proposed amendment would extend it until 2050, as well as introduce new guidelines. The fund will be used for the protection, conservation, preservation and enhancement of the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife and other natural resources.
This amendment also presents the significant change that 1.5 percent of the lottery proceeds would go towards projects in underserved communities, such as rural or diverse communities.
It also ensures that the funds cannot be used for wastewater infrastructure — something that has been a hot topic politically.
If the amendment is not approved, the trust fund will expire and the revenue from the lottery will go into the general fund and spending choices will be decided by the state Legislature.
Voting “yes” would support this amendment. Voting “no” or leaving your response blank, would not support the amendment.
Is there any way to track all referendums on the ballot on Nov. 5?
— Louis Snee
Voters can view all ballot questions in the state on the secretary of state’s website or by building yourself an individual ballot.
What are the names of the Democratic judges?
— Kathleen Russell
All judicial candidates are nonpartisan, which means they are not affiliated with a specific political party. To learn more about the judicial candidates for this election, you can view MPR’s judicial voter guide.
Which people running for mayor in my city are Democrat? It's been a bit difficult to vet these men that are running.
— Elaine Hanson
Candidates for mayor, county commissioner, city council, hospital board district, soil and water supervisor and all judicial races are nonpartisan. If you would like to learn more about a specific candidate's experience or goals for office, you can view the candidates on your ballot and their information here.
What does “N” stand for next to a candidate’s photo in the Voter Guide tool?
— Christina Carlson
The “N” stands for nonpartisan. This means they are not affiliated with any political party. The letter will change depending on the candidate’s political party affiliation. For example, “D” stands for Democrat or DFL and “R” stands for Republican.
Why can’t verifiable lies and criminal convictions simply disqualify a person from running for office?
— Steve Voiles
Three amendments in the United States Constitution apply to this question. There are only two requirements to run for president: be a natural born citizen and at least 35 years old.
Article 2, Section 1, Clause 5:
To be eligible to be President, a person must be a natural born citizen or a citizen of the United States at the time the Constitution was adopted. They must also be at least 35 years old.
14th Amendment, Section 3:
A person cannot hold office if they have taken an oath to support the Constitution but have engaged in rebellion against it. This includes serving in Congress, as a state officer, or as a member of a state legislature.
Senate:
A person cannot be a Senator unless they are at least 30 years old, have been a citizen for at least nine years, and are a resident of the state they represent.
Are citizens allowed to know the names of our Minnesota electors?
— Cynthia Johnston
Yes, you are allowed to know the name of electors in Minnesota. At the link below, there is a downloadable file. The electors’ names are listed.
On this page you will find the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) electors, after downloading the link at the green button, it will be on page two.
On this page you will find the Republican Party of Minnesota electors, after downloading the document at the green button, it will be on page four.
Voting on Election Day
Where do I go to vote?
— Jose Arroyo and Edith Moss
To find your polling place, use the secretary of state’s polling place finder.
You will be asked to enter your zip code or county, your city and address. This will give you the address of your polling place and what district you are located in for:
Congress
Minnesota Senate
Minnesota House
County Commissioner
Judicial
Soil and Water Supervisor
School
Is partisan clothing worn at Minnesota polling sites permitted?
— Dan
According to the secretary of state’s website, campaign T-shirts, buttons or literature which relate to specific candidates, officials, political parties or ballot questions are not allowed to be displayed in a polling place.
These items will need to be covered up or removed while in a polling place.
Can election poll workers ask what party I’m voting for?
— Mary Bosch
According to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office, there is no official law prohibiting an election judge from asking you what party you are voting for, however this is not something you should worry about as there “wouldn’t be a reason for someone to ask you,” said Cassondra Knudson, the deputy communications director.
If you are asked, you are not obligated to respond. You have the right to vote without anyone in the polling place trying to influence your vote.
Voting requirements and acceptance
If an undocumented Minnesotans now has driver’s licenses, how does an election judge know if they can vote or not?
— Theresa
According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, the Driver’s Licenses for All initiative does not change the requirement that you must be a U.S. citizen to vote. You must still meet all requirements to register to vote, including being a U.S. citizen.
You can find more information on voter registration requirements here.
You can find more information on Driver’s Licenses for All here.
Can you vote if you are on probation?
— Julie McVay
Your criminal record does not affect your right to vote in Minnesota. However, if you are currently incarcerated for a felony conviction, you cannot vote.
Who gets my vote if I decide not to vote this year?
— Peggy Szostak
No one. When abstaining to vote, your vote simply does not count towards any tally.
Other election questions
With Gov. Time Walz running as vice president, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan will take over for the rest of his term, but how long is that? When do we vote again for governor?
— N
Flanagan would serve the remainder of Walz’s term which is until January 2027. Minnesota will hold it’s next governor election on Nov. 3, 2026.
According to Minnesota statutes, if Flanagan becomes Minnesota’s governor, under the line of succession, the Minnesota Senate president would move up. Currently, that’s four-term DFL Sen. Bobby Joe Champion of Minneapolis. But that doesn’t mean he’ll get the job as it depends on a lot of factors.
A special election in the Senate will determine which party has the majority and gets to choose the next Senate president. That could be Champion if the DFL keeps that seat, but it's not a guarantee.
I got a text from the DFL saying people can get a refund for their donation to a political campaign.
– Reece Zist
According to the Minnesota Department of Revenue, you can request a Political Contribution Refund if you contribute money to qualified Minnesota political parties or qualified candidates running for:
Minnesota Legislature (state House or Senate)
Minnesota governor, lieutenant governor or attorney general
Minnesota secretary of state
Minnesota state auditor
You can view the application and a list of requirements and qualified Minnesota political parties here.
Clarification (Oct. 8, 2024): The story has been updated to elaborate on the succession process of lieutenant governor and Senate president; and on party registration and absentee voting.