Voting in the August 11th Primary

While you may know on November 3^rd the United States will be holding a presidential election, you may not know that there is another election right here in Minnesota on August 11^th.

This election is the partisan primary that will decide who represents each party on November 3^rd and even though no one is elected to hold office during this election, it still has a huge impact on who represents you in public office.

Who Can Vote

To vote in Minnesota you must meet the following requirements:

• A U.S. citizen
• At least 18 years old on Election Day
• A resident of Minnesota for 20 days
• Finished with all parts of any felony sentence

Registering to Vote

The deadline to register online for August 11^th has passed but you can still register on the day of the election at your in-person voting location.

To register, you will need to bring a photo ID and a document to prove your address. A valid driver’s license can be used for both or a state ID and a phone bill with your address on it.

Find a complete list of documents that can be used here.

You can register to vote if you are 17 but turning 18 before the next election.

Where to Vote 

If you have already applied for a mail-in ballot, just wait for it to arrive at your house, fill it out and send it back through the mail. You can check the status of your mail-in ballot here.

At this point, you can still apply for a mail-in ballot here and as long as you receive it and mail it back by August 11^th, it will be a valid ballot. Although, receiving your ballot can take weeks and it may not arrive in time. You can also request your ballot for the November 3^rd election now and it will be mailed to you this fall.

In that case, you can find your in-person voting location using your address here. The location will be open from 7am – 8pm on August 11^th. Remember to wear a mask, wash your hands, and follow all safety guidelines that your voting location may have.

At your voting location, there will be poll workers who can assist you with registering to vote and any other questions you have

How to learn about Candidates

Knowing who to vote for can be complicated. The best way to learn about candidates is to find their website or their Facebook page. Most candidates have a section labelled “issues” that tell you about what they would do if elected. You can also find their email or phone number and contact them about any issues you are concerned about.

One thing that is different about this primary from a general election, like the presidential election this fall, is you have to pick one political party and you can only vote for candidates in that party.

For example, on this sample ballot below, you can only vote in one party column.

Happy voting and reach out to Hta Thi Yu Moo at hmoo@mnkaren.org or 651-202-3107 for additional help.