How to Vote
Whether this will be your first year voting or your fifth, it is important to know when and where you can vote and who is on the ballot.
- Polling place locator
- Who can vote, register to vote, and check if you’re registered
- Vote by mail or absentee ballot
- View your ballot (know the candidates)
Upcoming Election Days in Minnesota
- Primary Election – August 13, 2024
- General Election – November 5, 2024
General Minnesota voter registration deadlines:
- 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.
Decide Where You Reside
You can only vote from the address where you “reside.” Your residence is the place you consider your home, from which you have no current intent to move. As a college student, if you consider your campus residence as your home, you may vote at that address, but if you consider your parents’ address (or some other address) as your home, you must vote from that address. Of course, you can only vote from one address in each election.
Learn more about voting in Minnesota
If you wish to vote in another state, use vote.gov to find information on how to register and submit an absentee ballot.
Register to Vote – Before Election Day
The Minnesota Secretary of State Website provides options to register online or download a Voter Registration Application form. The Minnesota Secretary of State Website provides an option to request forms in other languages.
Register to Vote – On Election Day
In Minnesota, you also have the right to register and vote on Election Day when you provide proof of residence. Information about registering on Election Day is found on the Minnesota Secretary of State website.
Absentee Voting
If you are going to be somewhere other than your residence on Election Day (including out of the country or studying abroad), you can still vote by absentee ballot. Absentee ballot applications and instructions are available on the Minnesota Secretary of State website. Options include voting absentee by mail and in person. In addition, the website provides additional information for military members and individuals who are abroad. For the fall 2024 general election, these deadlines apply.
- You can apply for an absentee mail-in ballot any time during the year, except the day of the election. Your returned ballot must be received by Election Day.
