To vote in Minnesota, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old on Election Day, and a Minnesota resident for at least 20 days before the election. Minnesota voting requirements also include registering to vote, either 21 days in advance or at your polling place on Election Day, and you only need to show identification if you are registering or updating your registration when you arrive to vote. The rest comes down to knowing your options and your deadlines.
Who Is Eligible to Vote
Four conditions decide whether you can cast a ballot in Minnesota:
- You are a U.S. citizen.
- You will be at least 18 years old on Election Day.
- You have lived in Minnesota for at least 20 days before the election.
- You are not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction.
The citizenship and age rules come from federal and state law together; the 20-day residency requirement is specific to Minnesota. You can be temporarily away from your Minnesota home and still qualify.1Minnesota Secretary Of State. Who Can Vote?
Felony Convictions
Minnesota broadly restored voting rights in 2023. Under Minnesota Statutes Section 201.014, anyone who has completed their incarceration for a felony regains the right to vote during any period they are not behind bars. That means people on probation, parole, or supervised release can vote, and work release does not count as incarceration for this purpose.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 201.014 – Eligibility to Vote If you are currently in a correctional facility for a felony, you cannot vote; casting a ballot when you know you are ineligible is itself a felony.
Guardianship
People under a court-ordered guardianship keep the right to vote unless the specific court order revokes it.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 201.014 – Eligibility to Vote Silence in the order means eligibility remains intact.
Pre-Registration at 16 and 17
If you are 16 or 17, you can pre-register. The application uses the same online or paper process as regular registration, and you’ll need your state ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. When you turn 18, your registration activates automatically.3Minnesota Secretary of State. How to Preregister to Vote
Registering Before Election Day
You can register online, by mail, or by dropping off a paper form at any county election office. Online registration through the Secretary of State’s portal requires your Minnesota driver’s license number, state ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number, plus a certification of your citizenship and age.4Minnesota Secretary Of State. Register To Vote Paper applications are available on the Secretary of State’s site and at county election offices, and they come in multiple languages. Mail or deliver the completed form to your county election office or to the Secretary of State’s office in Saint Paul.5Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. Register on Paper
The advance registration deadline is 21 days before Election Day. Paper registrations must arrive by 5:00 p.m. that day; online registrations have until 11:59 p.m.6Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 201.061 – Registration On or Before Election Day Miss it, and you can still register at your polling place.
If You Moved or Changed Your Name
The same online portal handles updates. Choose the update option, enter your previous information, and confirm your current details.7Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. Register to Vote or Update Your Registration Update before the 21-day deadline if you can. If you don’t, you can still fix it on Election Day, but you’ll need to bring proof of your new address.
Registering at the Polls
Minnesota allows same-day registration. If you missed the advance deadline, moved recently, or never registered, you can complete a registration application at your polling place and then vote. You just need to prove where you live.6Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 201.061 – Registration On or Before Election Day
Any one of these options works as proof of residence:8Minnesota Secretary Of State. Register on Election Day
- A Minnesota driver’s license, learner’s permit, state ID card, or a receipt for any of these, showing your current address. A Tribal ID with your name, address, photo, and signature also works.
- Any photo ID (including an out-of-state driver’s license, U.S. passport, military or veteran ID, Tribal ID, or a Minnesota college or high school ID) paired with a document showing your current address. Utility bills, bank statements, and credit card statements must be dated within 30 days of the election; a lease must be valid through Election Day. Electronic versions on your phone are accepted.
- A registered voter from your precinct who accompanies you and signs an oath confirming your address. One person can vouch for up to eight voters, but if someone vouched for you, you can’t vouch for anyone else.
- Your name on a student housing list from a Minnesota college that accepts state financial aid, combined with any accepted photo ID.
- An existing registration in the same precinct if you moved within it or changed your name. Just tell the election judge your previous name or address.
- A Notice of Late Registration mailed to you if you registered within 20 days of the election.
- A staff member at your residential facility who vouches for your address. Facility staff can vouch for every eligible voter living there.
Vouching helps if you recently moved and don’t have a document with your new address yet. Confirm your voucher is registered in your precinct before you go.
Do You Need ID to Vote
If your registration is current and active, no. You show up, tell the election judge your name and address, and receive your ballot. “Current and active” means you registered at least 21 days before the election and haven’t moved or changed your name since.9Minnesota Secretary Of State. Do I Need to Bring ID? ID only comes into play when you are registering or updating on Election Day, and the options above cover what counts.
Voting Early or by Mail
You do not have to vote on Election Day. Absentee voting opens 46 days before most elections. Check with your county election office for local hours and locations, which vary.10Minnesota Secretary Of State. Vote Early in Person
Any registered voter can request a mail ballot through the Secretary of State’s website. When your ballot arrives, you need a witness present while you mark it. The witness must be a U.S. citizen at least 18 years old on Election Day, or a notary public. Your witness signs the outer signature envelope; a notary also affixes a stamp. Your completed ballot must be received by Election Day, so allow delivery time if you’re mailing it back. If you return it in person, the deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Election Day at the office that sent it.11Minnesota Secretary Of State. Vote Early by Mail
Polling Hours and Getting There
For state and federal elections, polls open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. Towns with fewer than 500 residents may delay opening until 10:00 a.m., though most open at 7:00. Local and school elections follow different rules: Twin Cities metro polling places must open by 10:00 a.m., and locations outside the metro may not open until 5:00 p.m.12Minnesota Secretary Of State. Voting Hours If you are in line by 8:00 p.m., you can vote no matter how long the line takes. Stay put.
To find your polling place, use the Secretary of State’s poll finder at pollfinder.sos.mn.gov. Entering your address returns your precinct, your polling location, and the races on your ballot.
Time Off Work
Under Minnesota Statutes Section 204C.04, every eligible employee has the right to take time off to vote on Election Day or during the early voting period. Your employer cannot dock your pay or penalize you for using that time. The protection applies to regularly scheduled elections, special elections for congressional or legislative vacancies, and presidential primaries. A violation is a misdemeanor, prosecuted by the county attorney.13Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 204C.04 – Employees Time Off to Vote
Curbside Voting and Help at the Polls
If you cannot easily leave your vehicle, you can request curbside voting. Two election judges from different major parties bring the ballot (and a registration application if you need one) to your car, then carry your finished ballot inside and place it in the ballot box.14Minnesota Secretary Of State. Get Help Voting Call your municipal clerk or county election office ahead of time so they’re ready. You can also bring someone with you to help read or mark your ballot.