VOTER REGISTRATION

Registration Deadline: In Minnesota, you may register 21 days before Election Day or on Election Day at your polling place.

Party Affiliation: Minnesota does not record voters' party affiliations

VOTER REGISTRATION QUALIFICATIONS

Age: Must be at least 18 years old on Election Day

Citizenship: Must be a United States citizen

Residency: Must be a resident of Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding Election Day

Mental Competency: Must not be under court-ordered guardianship where a court has revoked your voting rights. 

Felony Convictions: Rights restored upon completion of sentence, including prison, parole, and probation

ID Requirements: If you are not registered to vote or need to update your registration information, you may do so at your local polling location on Election Day as long as you can provide proof of residence. To register at your polling place on Election Day, you must bring one of the following with your current name and address to verify your residence in the precinct:
   -A valid Minnesota driver's license, learner's permit, Minnesota ID card, or receipt for any of these;
   -A valid student ID card including your photo, if your college has provided a student housing list to election officials
   -A tribal ID card that contains your picture and signature;
   -A valid registration in the same precinct under a different name or address;
   -A notice of late registration sent to you by your county auditor or city clerk;
   -A voter registered in the same precinct as you who can confirm your address with a signed oath; or
   -An employee of the residential facility where you live who can confirm your address with a signed oath


OBTAINING A VOTER REGISTRATION FORM

Online: Minnesota voter registration application

In person: Visit your local election official's office

By mail/ in writing: You may register to vote by completing a voter registration application and mailing it into your local election official. 

By fax: Contact your local election office for faxing options.

Other Voter Registration Application Information: You can also register at the polls on election day; applications will be provided but proper ID is necessary


VERIFYING YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS

Online: Minnesota voter registration verification

Phone: Contact your elections official


ABSENTEE BALLOT QUALIFICATIONS

Who can vote absentee:

In Minnesota, citizens are allowed to vote absentee for the following reasons:
   - Absence from your precinct
   - Illness or disability
   - Serving as an election judge in another precinct
   - Religious discipline or observance of religious holiday
   - Eligible emergency declared by the governor or quarantine declared by the federal or state government 

Other absentee voter qualifications:
Absentee Voting Periods:
   -begin 46 days before Election Day for most elections
   -begin 30 days before Election Day for standalone municipal or school district special elections 


OBTAINING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT

Online: Minnesota absentee ballot application

In person: You may cast an absentee ballot in person, at your county auditor's office and in many cases your city or township clerk's office, starting 46 days prior to Election Day. This option is available on weekdays during business hours. In addition, the county auditor's office must be open for absentee balloting from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Saturday before the election and until 5 p.m. on the day before the election. Contact your county auditor for more information.

By mail: In order to vote absentee by mail, you need to complete an absentee ballot application and submit it to your local election official by mail, fax, or email (print off the application, sign it, scan it, and attach to an email as a .pdf). Your ballot will be sent to you when it is ready - at least 46 days prior to the election if you applied for an absentee ballot in advance. If you apply for an absentee ballot within 46 days of the election, your ballot will arrive within a day or two of your application being received. Contact your county auditor for more information. 

Military and overseas voting: Military and overseas voters may apply for the FPCA(Federal Post Card Application) with no due dates, however, ballots must arrive no later than election day to be counted. More information and applications available. 

Emergency Voting: If their voter status is challenged voters may choose to register on election day.

Other absentee ballot information: Voters who were eligible voters in Minnesota, but moved to another state within 30 days of the General Election, and are not eligible to vote in the state to which they moved, may vote for the President and Vice-President only by completing and returning the Presidential absentee application. 


SUBMITTING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT

Location and time:
Once you have received your absentee ballot, follow the enclosed instructions carefully and return your ballot as soon as possible. It must be received by the local election official who sent it to you by Election Day, or it will not be counted. There are four ways you can return your absentee ballot:
   - Mail back your ballot in the pre-paid envelope provided by your local election official.
   - Up until 5 p.m. on the day before the election, you may deliver your ballot in person to your local election official.
   - You may also have someone else return your completed ballot, sealed in its envelope, to your local election official until 3 p.m. on Election Day. Persons delivering ballots may not do so for more than three voters.
   - If you are worried about your ballot not arriving on time using First Class mail, you may choose to pay for package delivery service to return your ballot. Ballots must be received by your local election official on 3 p.m. on Election Day.


EARLY VOTING

Early voting qualifications: While Minnesota does not offer early voting, in person absentee voting is available for select groups. You may cast an absentee ballot in person, at your county auditor's office and in some cases your city or township clerk's office, starting 46 days prior to Election Day. This option is available on weekdays during business hours. In addition, the county auditor's office must be open for absentee balloting from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Saturday before the election and until 5 p.m. on the day before the election. Contact your county auditor for more information (find contact information using the Election Official Directory), or check to see if you live in one of the Municipalities Administering Absentee Balloting.


QUALIFICATIONS

Verifying Registration: Minnesota voter registration

Deciding how to vote: http://www.votesmart.org/

Time off to vote: Every employee who is eligible to vote in an election has the right to be absent from work for the time necessary to appear at the employee's polling place, cast a ballot, and return to work on the day of that election, without penalty or deduction from salary or wages becausae of the absence. An employer or other person may not directly or indirectly refuse, abridge, or interfere with this right or any other election right of an employee. 

Polling Place: Minnesota polling place finder

ID Requirements:
ID is not required if you register to vote before the registration deadline. To register at your polling place on Election Day, you must bring one of the following with your current name and address to verify your residence in the precinct:
   - A valid Minnesota driver’s license, learner’s permit, Minnesota ID card, or receipt for any of these
   - A valid student ID card including your photo, if your college has provided a student housing list to election officials
   - A Tribal ID card that contains your picture and signature 
   - A valid registration in the same precinct under a different name or address 
   - A notice of late registration sent to you by your county auditor or city clerk
   - A voter registered in the same precinct as you who can confirm your address with a signed oath
   - An employee of the residential facility where you live who can confirm your address with a signed oath
  Both 1) a photo ID from the list below, and 2) a current bill from the list below with your current name and address in the precinct
  Photo IDs (may be expired)     
   - Minnesota Driver's License
   - Minnesota ID Card
   - United States Passport
   - United States Military ID Card
   - Tribal ID Card
   - Minnesota University, College, or Technical College ID Card
  Bills (delivered electronically or by mail)
   - Utility bill due within 30 days of election day:
     - Telephone (landline, cell, VOIP, etc.) 
     - TV (cable, satellite, etc.)
     - Internet services
     - Electric
     - Gas
     - Solid Waste
     - Sewer Services
     - Water  
   - Rent statement dated within 30 days of election day that itemizes utilities
   - Current student fee statement

How to Vote: Marking and Casting your ballot
   - Optical scan
   - Paper ballots
   - Hybrid system

Getting your vote counted: Minnesota Voting Bill of Rights

Problems with voting: Minnesota State election law complaint form

Verifying provisional ballot status: Minnesota is exempt from provisional ballot laws due to same day voter registration.

Verifying absentee ballot status: Minnesota absentee ballot verification