It’s not that far off to the November 3 general election, when voters will be casting ballots for the Minnesota Legislature, U.S. Congress and U.S. President and local offices. In addition to the general election, Minnesota will have two primaries: the presidential primary on March 3 and the state primary August 11.
Key 2020 election dates: Presidential primary, March 3; State primary August 11; and the General election November 3.
Early voting in the presidential primary
Minnesota will hold its presidential primary on “Super Tuesday” March 3, and because of early voting, we will be among the first voters in the nation to cast ballots. This will be Minnesota’s first presidential primary election since 1992. The Early Vote Center opens January 17 for the presidential primary, and it will be at a new location: 980 E. Hennepin Ave. in downtown Minneapolis. Hennepin County will also have early voting at the Government Center, 300 S. Sixth St. A voter must request the ballot of the party of their choice. If a voter refuses to select a party, they will not be able to vote in the presidential nomination primary. The parties people choose will not be public information, though it will be available to each major party. Keep in mind this primary is for voting for a presidential candidate only – there will be no other offices to vote for on the ballot. More info on the upcoming primaries and election is at vote.minneapolismn.gov.
If you’ve never voted before and need to register, now is the perfect time. The deadline for pre-registering for the March 3 presidential primary is February 11. Check to see if you’re registered at mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/VoterStatus.aspx. If it’s been more than four years since you last voted, or you’ve moved or changed your name since you last registered, you’ll also need to re-register.
All voters must register prior to voting. They can do one of the following: Pre-register online or by submitting a paper application in person or by mail, or register at the polls on election day.
More information on the presidential primary is on the Minneapolis Elections and Voter Services website, vote.minneapolismn.gov.