(Intro)

Hello Minnesotans! If you want to vote, and I hope you do, you first have to make sure you're registered to vote. If you're not sure whether you're registered already there's a link in the description where you can check right now. It's real easy. If you're not registered or you need to update your name and address, you can go to the link in the description and register online as long as you have a Minnesota driver's license or state ID, or the last 4 digits of your social security number. If you don't have any of those things, or you'd just rather fill out a paper form and mail it in, you can use the printable form in the description.  Either way you choose to register, you have to do it by October 18th.

But if you miss that deadline, don't panic. You can still register at your polling place on election day. You just need to bring some form of photo ID and a proof of residence, like a utility bill, bank statement, or lease with your name and address on it. If you have a Minnesota driver's license or a tribal ID and the address is current, those count as both forms.

Once you're registered, there are a few different ways you can vote. If you want to vote from the comfort of your own home you can request to vote absentee by mail. You can use the online or the mail-in application. There are links to both of them in the description. There's no official deadline to request your absentee ballot, but they recommend that you do it by October 7th, so that there's enough time for you to get your ballot in the mail, fill it out at your own pace, and send it back before November 8th. There's also a link below you can use to track your absentee ballot and to make sure it gets received and counted.

You can also vote early in person at your county elections office from September 23rd to November 7th during their normal business hours. Some offices stay open for extra hours so check out the link below to find out when and where you can vote early in your county.

Now if you're going to vote in person on November 8th, polls are open from 7 am to 8 pm, and there's a link below that tells you where you need to go to vote. Unless you're registering at the polls on election day you don't need to bring an ID, though if it's been 4 years or more since you last voted, they will ask you to show proof of residence, like a utility bill, lease, bank statement, or driver's license with your name and current address on it.

Before you go vote, you can look at a sample ballot ahead of time. There's a link in the description. It will tell you everything you'll be able to vote for this election. You don't have to vote for every single thing on the ballot, but if you want a chance to do some research on the candidates and issues in your local elections, it's a pretty good idea to look at a sample ballot first. You can even fill it out and bring it with you to the polls, so you can be sure you remember how you want to vote. There will be links for everything you need to check your registration, vote early, get your sample ballot, get absentee ballots, find your polling location - all in description below. Thank you for voting.