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Can I vote by mail in Minnesota?
Yes. Anyone can request a mail ballot.
Any registered voter can request a mail (absentee) ballot, no reason needed. There's a deadline, so request early.
- Voter registrationTue, Oct 13Passed
Same-day registration is available in person.
- We'd request byTue, Oct 20Passed
The state recommends applying before Oct. 20 so the ballot can get to you and back by Election Day.
- NextFill it in, sign the envelope, and get it in the mail byTue, Oct 272 days
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be received by Tue, Nov 3. After this date, use a drop box or return it in person.
- Returning it:
Mailed ballots received by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Hand-delivered ballots must reach the office that sent them by 5 p.m. on Election Day.
Dropping it off? Drop-off is run by your county or town rather than the state, so locations vary. Minnesota drop-off locations.
Who can return it for you: A person you designate may return it. You may designate an agent (any person) to hand-deliver the sealed envelope to the county auditor or city clerk, or to mail it; an agent may return ballots for no more than 3 voters per election. In person the deadline is 5 p.m. Election Day. Whether an agent may use a drop box isn't clear. source
- Mail request must be receivedMon, Nov 28 days
Ask now: a request on the last day leaves no time to mail the ballot back.
Missed the request deadline?
- Voters who became a patient or resident of a hospital or care facility in their municipality the day before the election. Deadline: Tue, Nov 3, Election Day (phone for the form by 5 p.m. Nov. 2). A bipartisan pair of election judges bring the ballot to the facility and return it the same day. source
- Voters who can't get to the polls for health reasons or disability, and patients or residents of health, assisted-living, residential or shelter facilities. Deadline: Tue, Nov 3, 8 p.m. (agent pick-up and return). Designate an agent you already know (not a candidate) by affidavit; they pick up the ballot from the county auditor or city clerk and return it. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flagged
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- No signature cure. If your ballot is rejected more than five days before the election you're mailed a replacement with the reason; within five days, officials try to contact you. The replacement must arrive by close of polls on Election Day.
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Good to know in Minnesota Your witness must watch you with the blank ballot before you vote, then sign the white envelope.
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in Minnesota?
Will your ballot count in Minnesota?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in Minnesota, and how to avoid it
- Extra step in your state: a witness (any U.S. citizen who will be 18 by Election Day, or a notary) must see your blank ballot before you vote and sign the signature envelope. This is the #1 reason ballots get tossed where it applies.
- Sign the envelope. An unsigned envelope is the most common fixable mistake.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Open now through Mon, Nov 2. Locations and hours
You don't need to show ID to vote in person. Exception: if you registered by mail and this is your first federal election in the state, federal law says bring ID the first time.
Accepted: No ID for registered voters. Proof of residence only if registering/updating at the polls (e.g., MN driver's license/ID, photo ID plus a document with current address, registered voter vouching). Without one: Nothing required if registration is current and active; voter signs the roster and votes a regular ballot.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
Minnesota has a permanent absentee list for any voter. Sign up once and you won't have to request again. Sign up online or with the county; ballots go to your home address about 46 days before each election. Not available in towns that vote entirely by mail.
Minnesota can start processing mail ballots 7 days before Election Day, so most results come in on election night. Results are certified Tue, Nov 24.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
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Verified against the official page 2026-09-10. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.