Early voting opens Sept. 18

By Jake Spitzack | Staff Writer | September 2026

Early voting for the November 3 general election begins Friday, Sept. 18. People can cast ballots in-person or via absentee ballots through the mail. From September 18-October 15, in-person votes are cast as absentee ballots. Beginning October 16, those who vote in-person will complete a short form and cast their ballot directly into a ballot counter like they would on Election Day. This is the first year that “Early Voting” directly into a tabulator is being offered.

The primary election held in August drew a historic turnout: more than 1.1 million people, or about 25% of eligible voters in the state. The previous record was set in 2018 with about 925,550 ballots.

To register to vote, find your polling location and view who’s on your ballot, visit sos.mn.gov/elections-voting. The deadline for advance voter registration is October 13, but registration can also be done on Election Day with proof of residency. Online registration requires a driver’s license, Minnesota identification card number or the last four numbers of your Social Security number, as well as a valid email address; a paper form may also be submitted. To be eligible to vote, you must be a United States citizen, at least 18 years old on Election Day and be a Minnesota resident for 20 days before Election Day.

Look for our voter’s guide in our November issue.