Secretary of State Steve Simon reminds Minnesotans that beginning Friday eligible voters can begin casting their ballots early for the Aug. 9 primary election by voting absentee.

Minnesotans can request an absentee ballot to be mailed to them, or they can vote absentee in-person at their county or local elections office.

“The summer is a busy time for many Minnesotans, which is why it’s so important to request an absentee ballot for the August 9 primary today and ensure your voice is heard,” Simon said. “Eligible Minnesotans who can’t make it to the polls on election day no longer need an excuse to vote absentee and can cast their absentee ballots by mail or in-person—no questions asked.”

This is the first presidential-election year where Minnesotans no longer need an excuse to vote absentee — a reform also known as no-excuses absentee voting. No-excuses absentee voting first went into effect in 2014 and led to a 55 percent increase in accepted absentee ballots compared to the last non-presidential election year in 2010. As a legislator, Simon was the chief author of the no-excuses bill.

 

How to request
an absentee ballot

Minnesota voters can request an absentee ballot quickly and easily at mnvotes.org using the online application.

Voters can also request an absentee ballot by downloading the 2016 Minnesota absentee ballot application and returning it to their county election office by email, mail, or fax.  Absentee ballot application forms are available in English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, Lao, Oromo, Khmer and Amharic.

Voters can request an absentee ballot even if they are not registered to vote — a voter registration application will be provided with their ballot.

 

Important deadlines

Minnesotans voting absentee by mail must make sure their ballot is returned on or before the Aug. 9 primary election. Ballots returned after Aug. 9 will not be counted.

The last day to vote absentee in-person is Aug. 8.

 

Military and overseas voters

Minnesotans serving in the military or living abroad —temporarily or indefinitely— can have an absentee ballot sent to them anywhere in the world.

 

Tracking their ballot

Beginning June 24, upon requesting an absentee ballot, voters may check the status of their ballot, such as when it was mailed, and if their completed ballot was received and accepted by their local elections office.

Voters can use “My Ballot” to view their sample ballot and find links to candidates’ websites.