Today is primary election day, and despite forecasts of low turnout, the absentee ballot count is higher than in any primary election in 20 years, according to Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. (See sidebar for numbers.)
Low turnout for the primary – between 10 and 20 percent of eligible voters – is still predicted. The higher number of absentee ballots may be due, in part, to the primary’s August date, when many Minnesotans are on vacation.
Minnesota’s Primary Absentee Ballot Statistics: 2010: 26,211(as of 9:45 a.m. on 8/9/10 – more ballots are likely to be delivered on August 9 and 10.) 2008: 21,160 2006: 19,859 2004: 18,958 2002: 18,850 2000: 21,749 1998: 25,257 1996: 20,450 1994: 22,764 1992: 18,990 1990: 17,048 |
Minnesota has same-day voter registration, so you can vote on August 10 as long as you:
- will be at least 18-years-old on Election Day
- are a citizen of the United States
- will have resided in Minnesota for 20 days immediately preceding Election Day
- have any felony conviction record discharged, expired, or completed
- are not under court-ordered guardianship where a court has revoked your voting rights
- have not been ruled legally incompetent by a court of law
The Secretary of State website has information on what you need to bring to the polling place to register.
To find your polling place, visit the Secretary of State’s online pollfinder.
Not sure who’s running and who you want to vote for? Check out our election coverage:
Minneapolis Board of Education
Ramsey County judicial election
Comment