MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Minnesota Early Voting Surpasses 2022 Total as Nearly 729,000 Ballots Are Accepted Before Election Day

Minnesota has accepted 728,961 early ballots ahead of November 3, surpassing the entire 2022 early-voting total as election offices open for the final weekend.

ST. PAUL, MN (October 31, 2026).

Minnesota has surpassed its total early-voting participation from the 2022 general election, with 728,961 ballots accepted as of Thursday evening, according to figures released Friday by Secretary of State Steve Simon's office.

The milestone comes as voters enter the final weekend before Tuesday's November 3 general election, with election offices across Minnesota offering extended hours to accommodate residents who have not yet cast their ballots.

The state's latest figures show that 483,520 voters have cast ballots in person since early voting began September 18, while another 245,441 ballots have been returned by mail.

Combined, those figures exceed the 673,360 absentee and mail ballots cast during the entire 2022 election.

The difference amounts to 55,601 additional accepted ballots, even before the final weekend of early voting and Election Day.

The increase reflects substantial participation through Minnesota's early-voting system, although it does not establish how voters are dividing their support among candidates or whether overall turnout will ultimately exceed previous elections.

Election officials have distributed 948,465 absentee and mail ballots, with more than 208,000 still outstanding when the figures were compiled.

That number has particular significance because the deadline for returning completed ballots is approaching.

The Secretary of State's office is advising residents who still have absentee ballots at home not to return them through the postal system at this late stage. Instead, voters should deliver their completed ballots to the appropriate election office to ensure they arrive before the legal deadline.

For absentee ballots returned in person, the deadline is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3. Ballots returned by mail must be received by 8 p.m. that evening. Different return methods may carry different requirements, making it important for voters to follow official instructions.

Local election offices will be open Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Extended early voting continues Monday, November 2, until 5 p.m.

Eligible residents may also register to vote when voting early or on Election Day, provided they meet Minnesota's identification and residence documentation requirements.

On Election Day, most polling places will open at 7 a.m. and all will close at 8 p.m. Voters who are in line by 8 p.m. will be permitted to vote.

The final weekend presents an important opportunity for residents who work weekday shifts, provide family care or face other scheduling barriers.

For election administrators, the growing early-voting total also illustrates the increasing importance of staffing, ballot processing, voter assistance and reliable public communication before Election Day.

Minnesota provides election information in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali and Oromo, among others.

Residents can check their registration, locate polling places and track absentee ballots through the Secretary of State's official voter information portal.

The early-voting milestone is significant, but the final outcome of the election remains unknown. Ballot participation figures cannot independently determine candidate support or predict the results.

For now, the immediate message from election officials concerns access and deadlines: voters still have opportunities to participate, but the time remaining to return ballots is limited.

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