Minnesotans are getting hit with lots of election-related messages these days, and they can expect more of the same between now and Nov 5.
From campaign ads, texts and telephone calls to news stories, social media posts and yard signs, the candidates are ramping up their campaigns as we round the corner to Election Day.
Now is the time to make a plan for casting a ballot, but that raises many questions. Are you eligible? Where is your polling place? Who are the candidates to choose from?
“A simple check that takes just a couple minutes can answer most questions,” said Karl Landskroener, program manager for voter engagement at Hennepin County Elections.
One of the first things for a voter to check is to find out if they are registered to vote. The website mnvotes.gov/registration makes it easy to determine. The site can also explain what a voter needs to register and how voters can register online.
This promises to be a busy Election Day. Polls across Minnesota will be open from 7 am to 8 pm on Nov 5. Voters who are in line when the polls close will be able to vote.
But many voters will choose to do their civic duty before then. Absentee and early in-person voting are options for all eligible Minnesota voters who want to cast their ballots in advance of Election Day.
“While they are similar, you approach these methods differently,” Landskroener said.
With absentee voting, a voter is required to fill out an online or a paper application to request an absentee ballot. These ballots will go out in the mail and start arriving around September 20. Voters who fill out absentee ballots will also need a witness.
“This person needs to be an eligible voter in Minnesota. You can also go to your bank and have a notary serve as this witness,” Landskroener said.
In-person voting centers across the state will open on Sept 20 and have regular voting hours in the weeks leading up to Election Day. Same day registration is available at the centers. In-person voting centers for every Minnesota County can be found at https://www.sos.mn.gov/elections-voting/other-ways-to-vote/voting-locations-before-election-day/.
A new system for automatic registration in Minnesota is simplifying the process for the next generation of voters; 16 and 17-year-olds who register for a driver’s license are automatically be registered to vote.
College students may need to do a little homework to confirm their eligibility. Because registration is tied to where a voter lives, Minnesota college students have a choice: they can register at their address in their hometown or they can register at their college address. Minnesota college students who have moved within the state can go online and update their registration if their address has changed.
“That’s important for many 18-year-olds who are voting for the first time or away from home at college and determining their voting status,” Landskroener said.
This is the first election when Minnesotans with felony convictions who are not in prison are eligible to vote. This affects some 16,000 people in Hennepin County and approximately 60,000 people in the state.
Help is also available for voters who want to research the candidates they will be voting for, whether they cast absentee, early or Election Day ballots. Sample ballots are available at https://myballotmn.sos.mn.gov/ .
The high profile presidential contest is just one of many races at stake this fall.
“Voters in Minnesota will also decide on races for U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, the Minnesota House and there’s also a Supreme Court race on the ballot this fall,” said Landskroener.
Many voters will also make their choices in local races, like school board, county board and city council.
Voters in Senate District 45 in the Minnetonka area will also vote for state senator in a race that will determine which party will hold the majority in the upper chamber of the Minnesota legislature.
“This is a special election with the winner deciding who controls the Minnesota Senate next session. So, this is an important race.”
The general election is the perfect opportunity to expose the next generation to the process.
“It’s important to get young people involved because they are the future,” Landskroener
said.
To learn more about registration, polling places absentee, early voting in Minnesota and other timely topics related to the election go to: https://www.sos.mn.gov/elections-voting/