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Step 3 to Voting: Vote

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Cast your ballot when and where works for you

When you are ready to vote, you have choices. Decide when and how you will vote before Election Day arrives.

You have three choices to cast your ballot for each election event:

  1. By mail, beginning 46 days before each election.
  2. Early in-person, beginning 46 days before each election at Olmsted County Elections at 2122 Campus Dr SE and starting 7 days before the election also at the Government Center downtown at 201 4th St SE, Conference Room 104.
  3. On Election Day at your assigned polling place.

Think about which option will work best for you and make a plan to vote now. This will ensure you have plenty of time to request a mail ballot, or to make any necessary arrangements to get to an in-person early voting location or your polling place at a time that will work for you.

Requesting a Mail Ballot 

To vote by mail, simply submit an application for an absentee ballot and one will be mailed to you with a return envelope, including return postage.

Request an absentee ballot online through the Office of the Secretary of State. You can also pick up an official absentee ballot application from the Olmsted County elections office at 2122 Campus Drive SE, Suite 300.

Paper Absentee Ballot Applications can also be downloaded and printed:

Return Ballot Requests to Olmsted County

Mail:

You may send your ballot back via mail or drop it off in person at the absentee voting office (2122 Campus Dr. SE, Suite 300, Rochester, MN 55904) or the Government Center (151 4th Street SE, Rochester, MN 55904).

Follow the status of your absentee ballot

Use the Absentee Ballot Lookup to track your ballot. You can see when:

  • your request has been received,
  • a ballot is mailed to you,
  • your ballot has been returned and accepted, and
  • when your ballot is tabulated.

Deadline for returning absentee ballots on Election Day

Remember to request your absentee ballot at least 14 days before Election Day to allow yourself time to complete the absentee voting process.

  • Absentee ballots returned by the United States Postal Service (USPS) must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received from the postal service by the Olmsted County elections office by 8 p.m. on election day.
  • Absentee ballots returned to the Olmsted County Elections office by the voter or by another person authorized by the voter to act on the voter's behalf (see Agent Delivery information) must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day. There is a monitored drop box available at the Elections office located at 2122 Campus Dr SE, Suite 300. 
  • Absentee ballots returned by a commercial package delivery service (FedEx, UPS, etc.) must be received by the Olmsted County elections office by 8 p.m. Election Day.
  • On Election Day, voters who have not yet returned a requested absentee ballot may choose to go to the polls to vote, but CANNOT deliver an absentee ballot to a polling place.