With three weeks until Election Day, a new ballot drop-off location opens in Minneapolis

The November election is three weeks away and thousands of Minnesotans have already returned their mailed ballots.

In Minneapolis, more than 74,000 early votes have been cast so far.

“These instructions were really clear actually,” Pallav Kumar, of Minneapolis, said “It’s a lot easier than it looks, definitely do it if you can.”

He returned his absentee ballot in-person on Tuesday at the Minneapolis Elections and Voter Services building. Those who live in the city can return their ballots at the Hennepin County Government Center and Minneapolis Convention Center as well.

The Convention Center opened as a drop-off location on Tuesday morning.

“I knew I wasn’t really going to be comfortable going in on Election Day, with the pandemic,” said Kumar, who also expressed concerns about using the U.S. Postal Service to send in his ballot. “I felt like it would be safer to drop it off.”

For some, early voting has provided a sense of security.

“I just wanted to make sure it got where it was going,” Mike Larson said. “It’s still October, it’s probably safe but it’s good to be as safe as possible.”

Minneapolis elections staff are overseeing each of the city’s drop-off boxes.

“When you park or walk-up, or bike up, there is a big white tent with all of our Minneapolis Elections signage so you know you’re in the right spot,” said Katie Lauer, the communications and outreach coordinator for the Elections Voter Services Office. “We do have to accept your ballot and make sure your signature envelope is filled out correctly […] We don’t have any of the un-staffed drop boxes that you are seeing in other news reports in other states.”

Officials in California ordered some ballot drop boxes be removed this week amidst questions over whether they were authorized.

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Lauer told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS she has not received any reports of illegitimate ballot drop boxes being placed in Minneapolis

“I did hear the report out of California and I’ve talked with other Secretaries of State about this, everyone is on alert and on guard,” said Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon. “I have not heard any information about anything like that in Minnesota.”

He told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that only a city or county entity is allowed to put out a ballot dropbox.

“Not a private group, not a charitable group, not a nonprofit group, certainly not a political group or a political party,” Simon said.

He issued guidance in September, encouraging local officials to staff ballot drop off boxes. It is not required by state law.

“If I was coming here and just dropping it off in a box, I feel like I would want to just constantly be checking to see if it was received,” said Kumar, at the Early Vote Center in Minneapolis.

It took him only a matter of minutes to return his ballot, as others lined up to vote in-person. According to city elections officials, they’ve seen about 500 people vote each day at the Early Vote Center since Sept. 18.

Ballot drop-off box to be placed at Minneapolis Convention Center

The wait on Tuesday afternoon was about 30 minutes.

“As people check in here we’re asking if they’re registered and then if they go inside if they do need to register it does take a little bit more time,” Lauer said. “We are trying to get people in and out as quick as we can.”

In other states, long lines have formed as early voting started. Some reported waiting as long as six or eight hours to vote in Georgia.

KSTP asked Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon how his office is working to prevent long waits here.

“We have nearly 3,000 polling places and that’s a lot that’s more by ratio than other states have typically,” Simon said. “The other thing though this year that’s in play, is we have so many people who have chosen to vote but not in the polling place.”

According to Simon, 1.3 million Minnesotans have requested an absentee ballot. In 2016, he said 74.7 percent of the state voted.

“We haven’t in recent Minnesota history gone as high as 80 but we could be knocking on the door, it’s possible,” Simon said. “All indications are that people on all sides of the political spectrum are really fired up to vote this year and we’re going to see really high numbers.”

He encourages voters to send their ballot in as soon as possible.

Those who use USPS can track their ballot online to make sure it gets to its final destination. Voters should contact their county elections office if there is a problem, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

If a ballot does not appear to reach the elections office by Nov. 3, Simon suggests voting in person instead.

“What that will do is cancel the one that is on route,” explained Simon.

Tuesday also marked the deadline for pre-registering to vote. Now, those who are not registered will have to wait until Election Day.

“You can still order that ballot to come to you at home today, it just means that along with the ballot will come voter registration details and then you are deemed a ‘same day’ or ‘Election-Day’ registrant,” Simon said

If a voter wasn’t registered when they requested their absentee ballot, they will need to return the ballot with a witness signature to verify residency, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. The witness signature requirement was waived for those who are already registered.