Election Day in Minnesota: What you need to know

Tuesday is Election Day and already the state has seen record turnout, with more absentee and early voting than in previous years.

Most of Minnesota’s polling places open at 7 a.m. and are open until 8 p.m. for those planning to vote in person. If you’re in line by 8 p.m., stay there: You can still vote, even if you don’t reach the front of the line until after 8 p.m., the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office reports.

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According to elections officials, the number one challenge this year has been making sure people can vote safely, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recent changes to absentee ballot acceptance have also caused election officials to scramble to let voters know how to make their vote count.

As time ticks down to Election Day, what you need to know about voting

Throughout the day, elections officials in Minnesota are expected to provide updates on how voting is going in the state.

Those who haven’t yet registered to vote can still do so at their polling places.

Those who still have their absentee ballots at home are able to drop those off at a drop-off location by 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Those who recently mailed their ballots can check the progress of those ballots via the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website here.

Lastly, state officials issued a reminder to Minnesotans to wear their masks at their polling places; a recent Supreme Court decision made masks mandatory nationwide, with possible fines for those not wearing one.

KSTP’s complete 2020 election coverage

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, as of about 9 p.m. Monday, there were 2,137,192 absentee ballot applications requested and about 1,839,710 ballots accepted.

After the polls close Tuesday, absentee ballots are tabulated, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.