Eligibility Requirements:

• You may vote by absentee ballot if you are unable to vote on election day because:
  • You are away from home
  • You are ill or disabled
  • You are election judge serving in a precinct other than your own
  • You are unable to go to the polling place due to a religious observance or belief
  • You are moved out of Minnesota within 30 days of a presidential election and you are not yet qualified to registered to vote in your new state
• You must be registered to vote before you submit your absentee ballot request
• You can vote as early as 46 days before Election Day for most elections – MEANING YOU CAN VOTE TODAY BECAUSE THE ELECTION IS IN 35 DAYS!
• Identification Requirements for the Absentee Ballot application:
  • Applicant’s drivers license or identification card number
  • Last 4 digits of the applicants social security number
  • A statement that the application has none of the above

Deadlines:

• Your Absentee ballot registration must be received at least 20 days before the election (October 16th)
• Your absentee ballot application has no specific deadline, but it is recommended that you request the ballot at least one month before the election.
• Your Voted Absentee ballot must be received by 3:00pm on Election Day if mailed or by 5:00pm on Election Day if hand delivered.  Someone else can also hand deliver your completed ballot that is sealed in an envelope to your local election official by 3:00pm on Election Day.  One person cannot deliver more than 3 ballots.

Process:

• Step 1:  Register to vote and apply for an absentee ballot:
  • Unregistered absentee voters can register with the Minnesota Absentee Ballot Application to start the voter registration and absentee ballot process at the same time using the following link: http://www.longdistancevoter.org/files/voter_forms/Minnesota_absentee_english.pdf
  • For a faster response, mail to your county election official found here:  https://minnesota.overseasvotefoundation.org/vote/eod.htm

• If you are already a registered voter, simply fill out the form here:  https://absenteeballots.com/forms/register/registration/minnesota.html
• Step 2:  Verify your registration using the following link:  http://www.longdistancevoter.org/verify_voter_registration#minnesota
  • It is best to double check your registration before applying for your absentee ballot to avoid problems down the line
  • Most people receive their voter registration card in the mail 2-3 weeks after registering to vote, however, the card is not actually needed to vote.
• Step 3:  Receive, Complete, and return your absentee ballot – your ballot will be sent to you when it is ready.
  • Follow the enclosed instructions carefully
    • MN residents must complete your absentee ballot in front of a notary or witness.  The witness must be a registered MN voter.
    • Place the ballot into the provided security envelope
    • You and your witness must sign and date the envelope where indicated and the witness must write his/her address to verify he/she is a registered voter
  • Once the ballot is complete, place it in the provided security envelope.
  • The ballot must be received on or before election day (see Deadline rules above).

**To find out where your absentee ballot is in the process, follow the link:   https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/AbsenteeBallotStatus.aspx