Minnesota voters can still vote early on Saturday and Monday

Susan Lunneborg, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·2 min read

Nov. 5—WILLMAR — Voters reading this before 3 p.m. Saturday may still have time to visit their local county election office and vote early.

Voting early in Minnesota actually means utilizing the state's no-excuses absentee voting, which can be done in person from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday at county election offices, typically the auditor's office.

A voter needs to fill out an application for an absentee ballot, auditor's office staff will then provide the correct ballot for the precinct where that voter resides, and voters in most instances places their own completed ballot in a tabulator machine. Called "direct balloting," this process began Nov. 1, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office.

The tabulator machines right now are counting only the number of ballots. The actual tallying of all the votes cast, whether early or on Election Day, does not happen until Tuesday when election judges are ready to proceed following the closing of the polls.

Voters who still have their absentee ballots should consider delivering them in person. They must be returned to the election office no later than 3 p.m. on Election Day, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office, and cannot be delivered to polling places.

Voters who prefer to vote at their local precinct polling place on Election Day may do so between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday. Anyone who is in line to vote by 8 p.m. is not turned away.

The Minnesota Secretary of State's Office offers a poll finder web page at

pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us

where voters can enter their home address and find where to vote on Election Day.

West Central Tribune readers are reminded that 2022 election results will first be available on wctrib.com late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Because the Nov. 9 print edition must be on the press by 7 p.m., a full hour before the polls close, there will not be any election results in that Wednesday print edition.

The Wednesday, Nov. 9, e-edition, to be posted online early Wednesday at epaper.wctrib.com, will have "news extra" pages with some election results from late Tuesday night. These "news extra" pages are exclusive to the e-edition and will not be printed.

The West Central Tribune will continue to provide election results and accompanying follow-up coverage at wctrib.com beginning late Tuesday night and on subsequent days.

Thursday's e-edition of the West Central Tribune also will feature election results.