Vote early in person

Locations and Hours

All voters have at least one location where they can vote early in person. View the list of voting locations before election day for upcoming elections, or contact your county election office.

Ways to vote

Depending on the timing and location, there are different ways to vote in person before Election Day.

In person absentee

This is identical to getting an absentee ballot mailed to you, except done in person. You will need to know your MN ID or SSN to fill out the application.

• You will fill out an absentee application
• You will get a ballot and vote it there
• After completing the ballot, you will return it to the election official
• The voted ballot will go into an envelope
• A ballot board will review the envelope later

Most locations open for in person absentee voting 46 days before an election, but some "pop-up" locations might be open for as little as one day.

Early Voting

"Early voting" will be available for the first time in 2026. This is more similar to voting in a polling place on Election Day, and starts 18 days before the election. For all statewide elections, every county will have at least one location where early voting is offered.

• You will complete a short certificate
• You will receive a ballot and vote it there
• After completing the ballot, you will insert it in a ballot tabulator 

Direct Balloting

For local elections, some locations may use a process known as "Direct Balloting." This is a hybrid of the two processes above, where you fill out an absentee ballot application, but are able to insert the voted ballot directly into a ballot tabulator. In most cases, including for all state elections, direct balloting has been replaced by the "Early Voting" process above.

Health Care Facility Voting

Local election officials send teams of election judges (poll workers) to nursing homes and hospitals during the 35 days before the election. Election judges can provide applications and issue ballots to eligible residents of the facility, give help if needed, and will return the voted ballots to the local election official. Contact facility management or your local election official to find out when that will happen.

The election judges provide ballots only to voters who live in the city or town where the facility is located. If someone at the facility normally lives in a different city or town, they will need to apply for an absentee ballot on their own. Within a week of the election, they may be eligible to have someone pick up and deliver a ballot for them.

2026 Early Voting Dates

Ballots are available starting 46 days before an election (except for March Township elections, which are available 30 days before the election). Relevant dates for this year's August primary and November general election are below.

Primary Election

• First day to vote early in person: Friday, June 26
• Start of early voting: Friday, July 24
• Last day to vote early in person: Monday, August 10

General Election

• First day to vote early in person: Friday, September 18
• Start of early voting: Friday, October 16
• Last day to vote early in person: Monday, November 2