Registering to vote is a right and responsibility of every citizen. In Minnesota, you can register before Election Day or on Election Day itself.
You can register to vote at any time, except for 20 days immediately preceding any regularly scheduled election. To register, you must complete a voter registration application and submit it to the county auditor or the Secretary of State’s office. You may also register online through the Secretary of State’s secure website if you have an email address and provide your Minnesota driver’s license number, Minnesota identification card number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Applications received in person or by mail by 5:00 p.m. on the 21st day before the election or applications received through the Secretary of State’s website by 11:59 p.m. on the 21st day before the election will be accepted.
If you have never voted in Minnesota for a federal office and have not presented authorized documentation to register on Election Day, you must present this documentation to the county auditor more than 20 days before the election. You may also register in person before or on Election Day.
If you are under 18 but at least 16 years old and meet all eligibility requirements except age, you can pre-register to vote.
You can register to vote on Election Day by going to your resident polling place, completing an application, making an oath in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State, and providing proof of residence. Proof of residence can be a driver’s license, a Minnesota identification card, a current student fee statement with a valid address in the precinct along with a photo ID, or having a registered voter in the precinct vouch for you as a resident of the precinct.
The operator of a residential facility shall prepare a list of the names of currently employed staff at the residential facility and the address of the residential facility. The operator shall certify the list and provide it to the appropriate county auditor at least 20 days before each election for use in Election Day registration. “Residential facility” includes transitional housing, supervised living facility, nursing home, assisted living facility, veterans home, home for persons with developmental disabilities, battered women’s shelter, and temporary residence for homeless persons.
A student may prove residence by presenting a photo ID issued by a post-secondary educational institution in Minnesota if their name, student identification number, and address within the precinct appear in a current housing list.
Registration at the polling place on Election Day is conducted by election judges. The election judge responsible for Election Day registration shall make reasonable efforts to record the number of individuals who attempt to register on Election Day but are unable to provide proof of residence.
The Secretary of State must maintain a log of each IP address used to submit an electronic voter registration application and must monitor the log, website usage volume, and other appropriate metrics for suspicious activity. The electronic registration system must be secure, and the Secretary of State must utilize security measures to ensure the accuracy and integrity of electronically submitted voter registration applications.
