Voting, Step By Step
Minn. Stat. 201.054 — registration before the 20th day preceding the election, on election day, or with an absentee ballot
Registering. An individual may register to vote or update a voter registration at any time before the 20th day preceding an election, on the day of the election, or when submitting an absentee ballot by enclosing a completed registration application. An individual who is at least 16 but under 18 and otherwise eligible may submit a voter registration application.
What a voter signs. An individual seeking to vote signs a polling place roster or voter signature certificate stating that the individual is at least 18 years old, is a citizen of the United States, has maintained residence in Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding the election, maintains residence at the address shown, is not under a guardianship whose order revokes the right to vote, has not been found legally incompetent to vote, is not currently incarcerated for any felony conviction, is registered, and has not already voted in the election. The roster states that deliberately providing false information is a felony punishable by not more than five years imprisonment and a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.
The receipt. A judge may confirm the applicant's name, address and date of birth before the roster is signed. After it is signed, the judge gives the applicant a voter's receipt, which the voter delivers to the judge in charge of ballots, who then hands over the ballot.
The hours. At the state primary and the state general election, voting in every precinct begins at 7:00 a.m. and runs continuously until 8:00 p.m., except as the section otherwise provides. Individuals waiting in the polling place or in line at the door at the scheduled end, to register, update a registration or vote, are allowed to vote. An individual who arrives after the scheduled end is not.
Time off work. Every employee eligible to vote has the right to be absent from work for the time necessary to appear at the polling place, cast a ballot and return, on election day or during the period for voting in person before election day, without penalty or deduction from pay. An employer or other person who refuses, abridges or interferes with that right is guilty of a misdemeanor.
By absentee ballot. Any eligible voter may vote by absentee ballot. A voter in the military, a spouse or dependent of someone serving, or a voter temporarily outside the United States may also use the separate procedure for those voters.
Proof of residence for registering on election day, the deadlines for absentee ballot applications, and challenges at the polls are set out in other sections that are not on this page. Whether a particular person is registered is a question for the local election office.
Sources for this section (5)
- Minn. Stat. 201.054 — Methods of registering; prohibitions; penalty
- Minn. Stat. 204C.10 — Polling place roster; voter signature certificate; voter receipt
- Minn. Stat. 204C.05 — State elections; hours for voting
- Minn. Stat. 204C.04 — Employees; time off to vote
- Minn. Stat. 203B.02 — General eligibility requirements
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Minnesota attorney.