ST PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Secretary of State is encouraging registered voters across the state to consider voting absentee in the 2020 election.
Secretary of State Steve Simon will be sending a letter to encourage the effort that his office is dubbing "Vote from Home" in 2020. The letters will be sent to registered voters who have not already requested an absentee ballot.
The letters will also include an application for an absentee ballot, but will not include the ballot itself.
“During a pandemic, we have to view this election as a public health challenge,” Simon said in a statement. “In a normal year, the appeal of voting from home is comfort and convenience. But this year, it’s also a public service – because every person who votes from home is making the polling place a little bit safer for voters who need or prefer to vote in person. This mailing is all about making sure Minnesota voters know that voting from home is easy, safe, and secure.”
According to the Secretary of State's office, more than 860,000 Minnesota voters already requested an absentee ballot as of mid-September.
Voters can request absentee ballots online, while making sure to allow election officials enough time to send the ballot to you, and giving you time to return it. In 2020, state officials recommend requesting your ballot before Oct. 2 to make sure there's enough time to receive it.
Absentee ballots typically require a witness signature to be valid; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that requirement is waived for registered voters in 2020. Voters who are not already registered will still need a witness signature.
Once filled out, absentee ballots can be returned in multiple ways:
- Return a ballot by mail or a package delivery service to your county elections office. In 2020, mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day (Nov. 3) and received by your county within seven calendar days (Nov. 10).
- Ballots can be returned in-person to your county elections office by 3 p.m. on Election Day.
- In special cases, voters can ask for an agent to pick up and deliver ballots to the elections office.
No postage stamps are required to send in a ballot by mail.
Get more information about voting in the 2020 election in our KARE 11 Voter's Toolkit:
If you have questions about the 2020 election, text your question to our KARE to Vote team at 763-797-7215.