ABSENTEE VOTING
BVM: COVID-19 Early VOTING via Absentee Ballot
Be safe. Vote early via Absentee Ballot. You can vote in-person at select city and county offices, but we want you to be safe. Download or request an absentee ballot be mailed to you. Fill it out, mail it back. When you get the ballot, fill it out, mail it back. Done!
ABSENTEE VOTING BY MAIL
To vote by mail, you need to submit an application for an absentee ballot. There is not an online application available for municipal elections. You can pick up an official absentee ballot application from the Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services office in Minneapolis City Hall or from Hennepin County Elections in the Hennepin County Government Center.
Absentee ballot requests should be returned to:
Mail or in-person:
Minneapolis Elections and Voter Services
350 S. 5th St., Room 201
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Email:
minneapolisabsentee@minneapolismn.gov
Fax:
612-673-2756
Requests are taken year-round. Absentee ballots are available and will be mailed out beginning 46 days prior to a regularly scheduled election.
NOT PRE-REGISTERED?
That's not a problem. You can apply for an absentee ballot and you will receive voter registration materials with your ballot.
Follow the status of your absentee ballot:
Use the Absentee Ballot Lookup.
DEADLINE FOR RETURNING ABSENTEE BALLOTS ON ELECTION DAY
Remember to request your absentee ballot at least 7 days before Election Day to allow yourself time to complete the absentee voting process.
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Absentee ballots returned by the United States Postal Service (USPS) or a commercial package delivery service (FedEx, UPS, etc.) must be received by the city election office by 8 p.m. Election Day.
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Absentee ballots returned to the city election office by the voter or an agent of the voter (another person authorized by the voter to act on the voter's behalf-see Agent Delivery information) must be received by 3 p.m. on Election Day.
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All absentee ballots must be returned to the address on the return envelope at the city election office in City Hall. On Election Day, voters who have not yet returned a requested absentee ballot may choose to go to the polls to vote, but CANNOT deliver an absentee ballot to a polling place.
PERMANENT AND ONGOING ABSENTEE BALLOT STAUS (RECURRING ABSENTEE)
If you would like to vote absentee on an ongoing basis, you may request to receive an application for an absentee ballot before each election by completing the Minnesota Application to Automatically Receive Absentee Ballot Applications (pdf).
ABSENTEE VOTING FOR MILITARY OR OVERSEAS VOTERS
If you are an active-duty uniformed service member (or the spouse or dependent of one) or a U.S. citizen living abroad permanently or temporarily, see the Minnesota Military and Overseas Voter Service for complete details on how to absentee vote. Be sure to allow plenty of time for this process.
Now available, active-duty uniformed service members, eligible spouses and dependents of such members, and other U.S. citizens residing outside the U.S. may complete a special absentee ballot application online. This online service is available only to the identified eligible individuals who are able to provide an email address and an identification number from either a Minnesota-issued driver's license or Minnesota ID card, or the last four digits of their Social Security Number, or their U.S. Passport.
Also see:
Starting seven days before an election, the following voters may authorize an agent to pick up and return an absentee ballot for them:
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Patients in hospitals, residential treatment centers, and nursing homes;
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Residents of group homes;
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Residents of battered women's shelters;
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Residents of assisted living facilities;
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Voters who are disabled; and
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Voters who would have difficulty getting to the polls because of incapacitating health reasons.
In order to have an agent pick up and deliver your ballot to you, you must:
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Have a pre-existing relationship with your agent.
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Complete the Request for Agent Delivery of Absentee Ballot Form (pdf) and the Absentee Ballot Application (pdf).
The agent must:
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Be at least 18 years old.
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Present the voter's completed forms and an ID with the agent's picture and signature to a city election official.
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Not be a candidate at the election.
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Pick up ballots for a maximum of 3 voters.
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Pick up ballots beginning seven days before the election, and no later than 2 p.m. on Election Day.
NOTE: If you designate an agent to pick up and deliver your ballot to you, ONLY that same person can return your ballot to the city election office.
When your designated agent returns your voted ballot to the city election office, they must:
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Present an ID with their picture and signature to city elections officials.
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Return the voted ballot in a sealed signature envelope before 3 p.m. on Election Day.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS PICKED UP AND RETURNED BY OTHERS (AGENT DELIVERY AND RETURN)
ABSENTEE BALLOTS RETURNED BY OTHERS (AGENT RETURN)
Starting seven days before an election, any voter may ask another person (called an agent) to return a voted ballot to the city election office.
EXCEPTION: Voters who use the designated agent delivery and return process may ONLY use the designated agent who picked up the ballot for them to then return their voted ballot.
In order to have someone act as your agent to return your ballot to the city election office, the agent must:
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Be at least 18 years old.
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Present an ID with their picture and signature to a city election official.
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Not be a candidate at the election.
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Return voted ballots for a maximum of three voters.
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Return voted ballots beginning seven days before the election, and no later than 3 p.m. on Election Day
ABSENTEE RESOURCES
Resources from the Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State
2016 Video:
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"Vote Early, Vote Absentee!" (1 minute 30 second video)
2016 Fliers:
TUESDAY
NOVEMBER 5, 2024
COUNTDOWN TO
ELECTION DAY