To vote in Minnesota, you must be 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, and a Minnesota resident for at least 20 days before Election Day.
To register to vote, you need to complete a Voter Registration Application. You can submit the application in person or by mail to the Nicollet County Public Services Office at 501 S Minnesota Avenue, St. Peter, MN 56082. You can also register online through the official Minnesota state website.
Registering to vote ahead of time will make voting quicker and easier when you arrive at your polling place on Election Day. You can still register on Election Day; however, you will need to bring proof of residence.
To register on Election Day, you must have proof of residence in your precinct. Only legally allowed proof will be accepted. Valid proof includes: MN Driver’s License, Learner’s Permit or Identification Card showing your current address (or the yellow receipt for any of these); A previous valid registration from the same precinct; “Notice of Late or Ineffective Registration” from the Public Services office; A registered voter from your precinct who knows you personally reside in the precinct and will vouch for your identity; A photo ID and a current utility bill that shows your name and address in the precinct.
Nicollet County residents can find polling place locations and hours on the county’s official website or by using the Polling Place Finder tool.
Absentee ballots are available 46 days before the election. You can vote absentee by mail or in person at the Nicollet County Public Services Office. Standard hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The office is also open for absentee voting the Saturday before the election from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and until 5:00 PM the night before the election. You do not need to be a registered voter to vote by absentee ballot (you will register during the absentee voting process). You can request an absentee ballot online or download a standard absentee ballot application or a military/overseas absentee ballot application.
Candidates wishing to run for office must file an Affidavit of Candidacy at the following locations: Federal – File with the Secretary of State; State – File with the Secretary of State or the County Public Services Office where the candidate resides; County – File with the Public Services Office; City – File with the City Clerk; Town – File with the Town Clerk; School – File with the School District; Soil & Water – File with the Public Services Office.
Requirements to be an Election Judge: Eligible to vote in the State of Minnesota; Able to read, write and speak English; Appointed by a governing authority (county, city, town or school board); Trained and currently certified as an election judge. Election Judges cannot be: A candidate in that election; The spouse, parent, child, sibling of a candidate or another judge in the same precinct; A challenger.
High school students ages 16-17 can serve as Student Election Judges. Students 18 and older can serve as regular Election Judges. To be a Student Election Judge, students must: Be at least 16 years old; Serve in the county in which they reside; Be in good academic standing; Have completed or be currently enrolled in a course in government; Have permission from their school and a parent.
Before serving in an election, all election judges and student election judges must complete election judge training and become certified as an election judge. This training is provided by the Public Services Office. Every judge who completes training receives an election judge certificate that is valid for two years.
