By LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS MINNEAPOLIS
Election Day is November 5, 2024. This is a general election to select the President of the United States. Minnesota Voters will also choose one U.S. Senator, eight U.S. Representatives, representatives for open seats in the Minnesota State House of Representatives, as well as judges, candidates in local races, and choices on possible ballot questions. Make your voice heard by voting in this election!
This “Nuts and Bolts” article provides practical information to assist you in voting. Let’s make a plan to vote!
Register at your current address.
In Minnesota, you can register to vote online, by mail or in person at your polling site. Pre-registering online and by mail must be done by October 15, 2024, or you can register when you vote at your polling place on Election Day (November 5) or at early voting locations before Election Day (September 20 through November 4), and when voting early by mail.
If you are already registered to vote at your current address you do not need to show an ID to vote; if you are not, you can register on Election Day at your polling place site, but you will need to bring an ID or other proof of residence. Not sure if you’re currently registered, or want to register online? Visit the Minnesota Secretary of State website for registration information: sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/register-to-vote.
When and how to vote.
To vote early in person go to Minneapolis Election & Voter Services, 980 Hennepin Avenue E, or to the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis at 300 S 6th Street. Early in-person voting begins Friday, September 20 and is open through 5 p.m. on Monday, November 4. Additional early voting centers will also be open, including two satellite centers opening two weeks before the election. The Minneapolis election office website will post the locations at vote.minneapolismn.gov as we get closer to the election.
To vote early by mail, request your absentee ballot at mnvotes.sos.mn.gov/abrequest/index no later than October 29, then fill it out and return it as soon as you can after it arrives. You do not need to be registered to apply for an absentee ballot.
Mailing your ballot.
If you mail your ballot, you will need a witness when you vote and complete it. They will need to sign the signature envelope and list their address. The witness can be either a registered Minnesota voter or a notary. If it is a notary, they should write their name and title, sign the signature envelope and affix their notary stamp.
The mailing envelope does not need a stamp. You are encouraged to mail your ballot as soon as you fill it out, and the City of Minneapolis recommends returning it at least 7 days before the election. To be counted, absentee ballots must be received in the mail by 8pm on Election Day, November 5.
If you return your ballot in person, you can deliver it Monday through Friday between 8am and 4:30pm, from September 20 to November 4, to Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services at 980 E Hennepin Avenue, 55414, or to the Hennepin County Government Center at 300 S 6th Street, 55487. On Election Day, ballots can be delivered to either of these sites until 8pm You can deliver your own absentee ballot, as well as the ballots for up to three other voters. If you drop off a ballot for someone else, you must show identification with your name and signature. Please note that absentee ballots cannot be dropped off at a polling place.
To vote in person on Election Day. Verify the location of your polling place at the MN Secretary of State website sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/election-day-voting, and go to that location to cast your ballot on November 5. Note that with redistricting, your polling site may have changed. Polling sites are open from 7am to 8pm Additional questions? Call the City of Minneapolis Information Line at 311.
Finding Assistance.
There are many ways to get assistance if you need it to vote. You can bring someone to help you vote, ask an election judge for support, use a machine to mark your ballot, or even vote from your car. Visit the Secretary State website for more information at sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/election-day-voting/get-help-voting.
Voting instructions are available in all polling places on Election Day in the three most commonly spoken non-English languages in the state. Currently, those languages are: Spanish, Hmong and Somali. Instructions in these three languages will be posted in the polling place and available for use by voters when casting a ballot. A translated notice indicating the availability of these instructions will also be posted. The same translated information is also available at the Secretary of State website at sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/election-day-voting/voter-language-access.
Plan ahead for special arrangements.
Perhaps you need a ride to the polls or maybe you need childcare? (though children can come to the polls with you). If you need to find time during or around your work schedule to vote, Minnesota law requires employees to allow workers time off to vote without losing pay or taking personal or unpaid time off. This includes voting on election day or voting early.
Choose your candidates and prepare for your vote.
The League of Women Voters provides information related to the candidates running for local, state, and national offices. It includes the candidates’ views on current issues that may affect your choice. The best place to research candidates’ views is at Vote411 at vote411.org/ballot. This site is sponsored by the League of Women Voters Education Fund to provide voter information tailored to each state. The Minneapolis League also sponsors public forums for local candidates and ballot issues. This is a great opportunity for you to hear directly from the candidates! You can find when and where the forums are being held at the LWVmpls website at lwvmpls.org/for-voters. If you can’t attend the forum, no problem! The LWV Minneapolis posts unedited videos of the forums on its website.
After making your decision, consider looking up a sample ballot to review more information on the candidates. Sample ballots are available through the Minnesota Secretary of States’ office sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/whats-on-my-ballot.
Make 2024 the year you vote with confidence! Encourage friends and family to do the same! Support each other this election season and help someone you care about get involved as a voter. CALL THREE FRIENDS AND MAKE A PLAN TODAY!
This is the fourth article in the League of Women Voters Minneapolis 2024 Democracy Series. All articles will be available at lwvmpls.org/for-voters
Next month the fifth article in our League of Women Voter Minneapolis 2024 Democracy Series, “Who is On the Ballot in 2024” will provide information on how to locate unbiased and trusted sources on MN candidates running for national, state, and local offices.
