Minneapolis Breaks Early Voting Record With Days Left Until Election

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Minneapolis voters have cast more early and absentee ballots than in any other non-presidential election year on record, and there are still five days left to vote ahead of Election Day.

The city's Elections and Voter Services division had accepted 52,661 ballots as of the close of business Wednesday, the city announced Thursday. That tops the previous record of 52,313 early and absentee ballots cast in 2018.

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This year's pace is far ahead of recent midterms. At the same point before the 2022 gubernatorial election, the city had accepted 29,290 ballots. In 2018, it was 28,896. That puts early voting turnout up 79.8 percent from 2022 so far, according to the city.

"Setting a new early voting record in a non-presidential election year sends a powerful message: every election matters, every voice counts, and our democracy is strongest when we all participate," Mayor Jacob Frey said. "I'm grateful to Director Katie Smith and our election workers for their leadership and hard work in making this possible."

"We're excited to once again set a new record and show why we're one of the votingest cities in the votingest state in the nation," said Katie Smith, the city's director of elections and voter services. "But this milestone is about more than voter turnout. It's about our entire community showing up for elections."

Smith pointed to the roughly 2,600 people who will serve as election judges on Tuesday, Nov. 3, along with those staffing early voting, giving neighbors rides to the polls and sharing accurate election information.

Residents can follow the running count of ballots cast on the city's early voting dashboard.

Where To Vote Early

The city is running three Early Vote Centers: the main center at Minneapolis Elections and Voter Services, 980 E. Hennepin Ave.; the North Early Vote Center at Urban League Twin Cities, 2100 Plymouth Ave. N.; and the South Early Vote Center at Bethel Lutheran Church, 4120 17th Ave. S.

All three are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday. The centers will be closed for voting on Election Day, when voters must cast ballots at their assigned polling place.

The city has also held ten pop-up early voting events since Oct. 19, drawing 6,646 voters. Two remain: Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th St., and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Augsburg University's Christensen Center, 720 22nd Ave. S.

Mail-In Ballots

Ballots returned by mail must arrive by 8 p.m. on Election Day. City officials recommended mailing ballots back at least seven days before Election Day, so voters still holding one may want to return it in person instead.

Voters can drop off their own ballot plus ballots for up to three other voters. Before Election Day, ballots can be brought to the elections office at 980 E. Hennepin Ave. or any early voting location during open hours. On Election Day, ballots can be dropped off at 980 E. Hennepin Ave. or the Skyway Level of the Hennepin County Government Center, 300 6th St. S., until 5 p.m.

Voters with a mail ballot can also choose to vote early in person or at their polling place on Election Day instead.

More information on registering and voting in Minneapolis is available from the city.