MINNEAPOLIMEDIA VOTER GUIDE | Early Voting for Minnesota’s November 3 Election Begins Friday

SAINT PAUL, MN (September 15, 2026). Minnesota voters who have already decided how they intend to vote may begin casting ballots Friday, September 18, opening the early-voting period for the November 3 general election.

Minnesota permits no-excuse absentee voting. Voters do not need to be traveling, ill or otherwise unavailable on Election Day to vote early.

Eligible voters may cast an absentee ballot in person at designated locations or request a ballot to complete and return by mail.

Early-voting locations, dates and operating hours vary by county and municipality. Voters should confirm the correct location with their county election office or municipal clerk before traveling.

A person who is eligible to vote but has not registered may register when voting early by providing an accepted form of proof of residence.

Minnesota voters may also register or update their registration before Election Day through the Secretary of State’s voter-information services.

A mailed absentee ballot must be received by election officials by the legal deadline. A postmark alone may not be sufficient if the ballot arrives too late.

Voters returning ballots close to Election Day should consider delivering them directly to an authorized election office or ballot-return location rather than relying on mail delivery time.

The November ballot will include federal, state, county, municipal, judicial and school-board offices, depending on where a voter lives.

Residents should review a sample ballot before voting because races and ballot questions differ by precinct.

Voters may request assistance because of a disability or difficulty reading or marking the ballot. Minnesota law also provides procedures for people living in hospitals, nursing homes and other residential facilities.

Rules govern who may return another person’s absentee ballot and how many ballots an individual may deliver. Voters using an agent or asking another person to return a ballot should review current requirements rather than relying on instructions from a previous election.

Early voting does not require voters to wait until all campaign debates or endorsements have occurred. It also does not require them to vote immediately when the period opens.

The extended window gives residents time to examine candidates, local offices and ballot questions before making a final choice.

Voters who cast an absentee ballot early may be able to track its status through the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website.

The opening comes as Minnesota election officials prepare for several administrative and legal changes, including a state Supreme Court ruling allowing Oak Grove to use paper voter rosters at its precincts.

Those procedural disputes do not change an eligible voter’s right to participate.

Minnesotans can confirm their registration, locate early-voting offices, request an absentee ballot and view sample ballots through mnvotes.gov.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with limited exceptions for municipalities legally permitted to open later.

Voters who are in line by 8 p.m. are entitled to vote.

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