MINNEAPOLIS— This year’s early voting total is the second highest Minneapolis has ever had for a municipal election.
Through yesterday, Nov. 6, 2023 – the final day of early voting – a total of 13,422 ballots were accepted, according to city officials. The only other municipal election with higher turnout was in 2021, which included all City elected offices and ballot questions that increased voter interest. Additional mail ballots that are delivered to elections staff tomorrow will be added to this year’s early vote total.
Today is Election Day
Now that early voting has ended, voters can only cast their ballots at their polling places today or by dropping off a completed ballot at Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services, 980 E. Hennepin Ave., 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Completed mail ballots cannot be dropped off at polling places on Election Day.
All polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone waiting in line to vote at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
Ranked choice voting
This year’s election uses ranked choice voting, which means this year’s ballot will have three columns. Just like any other election year, people will vote by filling in ovals on paper ballots. But instead of choosing one candidate in a race, voters will be able to rank up to three candidates, using those three columns.
Instructions on how to cast a ranked choice voting ballot will be given to each voter upon arrival at the polling place, and election judges will explain ranked-choice voting to voters as they pick up their ballots. Notices in the polling place will also help make sure voters understand how to mark a ballot.
To learn more about ranked-choice voting, visit the Minneapolis elections website at vote.minneapolismn.gov.
Sample ballots available online
State law allows voters to bring materials into the polls to help complete their ballots — and the sample ballot is the single, best tool available for this purpose. By downloading and printing their sample ballots (which are customized to their specific ward and precinct), voters can practice marking their ballots. They can bring this marked-up sample ballot as a reference to the voting booth when completing their official ballots. This is the best way to reduce the time spent waiting in lines.
Find sample ballots for all Minneapolis precincts at vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/ballot.
Results on elected offices
The City will tabulate the election results as quickly as possible. However, because ranked-choice voting requires a special tabulation process, some race results will not be known on election night. In races where there is no winner in the first round of counting, those results will be tabulated on Wednesday, Nov. 8
As tabulation is completed in each race, those results will be posted in several places:
- On the City’s elections website at vote.minneapolismn.gov
- Minneapolis Elections and Voter Services Twitter: www.twitter.com/votempls
Although it is not possible to know exactly how long the tabulation will take for the races that do not have winners on election night, elections officials plan to complete tabulation and declare unofficial winners as soon as possible.
Time off from work to vote
All voters have a right to take time off work to vote without losing pay, personal leave or vacation time. Any employer found in violation of this law is guilty of a misdemeanor. More information is available on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website.
