ST PAUL, Minn. — Moving to a new home before Election Day? Here's what you need to know to be able to vote in Minnesota.
MOVING TO MINNESOTA FROM ANOTHER STATE
State law requires voters to live in Minnesota for at least 20 days before an election. The Minnesota Secretary of State's website explains the process.
MOVING WITHIN MINNESOTA
If you're moving within Minnesota, you're already a state resident, so you've already met the 20-day residency requirement and will be eligible to vote from your new address.
HOW TO REGISTER IN ADVANCE
Once you've moved to your new address, there are several options for registering to vote.
Registration can be completed in advance by registering online. You'll need your Minnesota driver's license or Minnesota identification card number, or the last four digits of your social security number.
Registration can also be completed on paper, by printing out a form on the Minnesota Secretary of State's website and mailing it to your county election office or the Secretary of State. Paper forms are also accepted through voter registration drives.
Both online and paper registrations need to be completed 20 days before Election Day.
HOW TO REGISTER ON ELECTION DAY
If you miss the advance registration deadline, or move within the state of Minnesota in the 20 days before the election, you can register at the polls on Election Day.
You'll start by finding the polling location for your new home, which can be searched online using the Secretary of State's Polling Place Finder page.
Once at the polls, you'll need to provide proof of your new residence. The state offers several options to prove residency:
- Show your Minnesota driver's license, learner's permit, ID card, or a receipt for any of these showing your current name and address (a tribal ID with name, address, photo and signature is also acceptable).
- Provide an approved photo ID (like a photo ID from another state, a passport, or a school ID) plus a second document with your current name and address (like a utility bill or lease agreement). Find a full list of accepted documents here.
- Ask a neighbor to vouch for you. If they're already a registered voter in your precinct, they can sign an oath confirming your address.
- Show a college student ID matching a college or university housing list sent to election officials.
- Confirm a previous valid registration at a different address in the same precinct.
- Provide a notice of late registration (a form sent to people who registered within 20 days of the election).
- For people living in residential facilities, a staff member at the facility can vouch for your address.
For more information about registering to vote in Minnesota, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State's Elections and Voting website at mnvotes.org.
