Voting guide for Super Tuesday 2024

Krystal Frasier KSTP

Super Tuesday 2024

Super Tuesday 2024

Eligible Minnesotans can head to the polls on Tuesday to participate in the state’s presidential primary election.

Polls will open at 7 a.m., however, they may open at 10 a.m. in some municipalities.

You can cast a ballot if you are in line by 8 p.m., even if you don’t reach the front of the line until after that time.

If you’re worried about lines at your polling place, Minnesota’s Weather Authority says that conditions on Tuesday will be sunny and windy, with high temperatures expected to be around 50 degrees. CLICK HERE for the latest forecast.

The latest exclusive KSTP/SurveyUSA polling data of over 1,800 statewide registered voters shows 63% say they are either certain or probably voting in Tuesday’s Minnesota presidential primary.  Some 43% of likely primary voters say they plan to vote in the Republican primary, while 38% plan to vote in the Democratic primary. 18% say they aren’t certain about which primary they will vote in. 

On the Republican ballot, 79% of those responding say they will vote for Donald Trump, 15% for Nikki Haley with 3% supporting another candidate and 4% were undecided. While in the Democratic primary, 76% of our respondents say they will vote for Joe Biden, 7% for Dean Phillips, 6% for another candidate and 10% were undecided.

This will be the first primary that some will be able to participate in following the 2023 signing of the “Restore the Vote Act,” which restored voting rights to formerly incarcerated Minnesotans.

Previously, people with felony convictions would have to complete parole before being eligible to vote. Now, voting rights are restored for people with felony convictions when they complete their incarceration.

As reported in January by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, the Minnesota Supreme Court granted a petition for accelerated review that was filed by Minnesota Voters Alliance regarding the law. The group argues the law violates the constitutional provision banning felons from voting “unless restored to civil rights.” The high court’s decision comes a month after an Anoka County judge dismissed the challenge to the law. The court set oral arguments in the case for April 1.

Below, 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has a guide for voters.

VOTING GUIDE

Click the dropdown below for a guide to help you prepare as you head to your polling place on Tuesday:

A primary election determines which candidates will appear on the November general election ballot.

To help explain, the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office provides this example: Five candidates from one political party might run for governor. The winner of the August primary election will represent their party in the race for governor on the November general election ballot.

Voters may see two kinds of offices on their primary ballots: Partisan offices and non-partisan offices. There will be a political party listed next to a candidate's name on the ballot for partisan offices. There won't be political party next to a candidate's name on the ballot for non-partisan offices.

You can see a list of political parties in the state here.

If not already eligible, individuals can register to vote in a variety of ways, including online, by filling out a print form, or in person on the voting day.

Voters can vote in person or by voting early via mail. You can also locate your polling place here, which includes updated redistricting information. Polling places are usually open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Minnesota Secretary of State's Office reports that as long as you're in line by 8 p.m., you can vote, even if you do not reach the front of the line until after 8 p.m.

Additional polling place rules can be found here.

If your voter registration is current and active, meaning you were registered to vote at least 21 days before the election day and haven't moved or changed names, an identification card isn't required. If that is not the case, you will need to show proof of residence before voting.

Enter your zip code or county via the Secretary of State Office's website to view a sample ballot.

According to the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office, election results are not official until they have been reviewed and certified by a canvassing board.

On Election Night, county election officials will enter unofficial election results on the Secretary of State's website. Following Election Day, county election officials will audit and proof their work before they canvass their results. Once results have been proofed by county election officials, the County Canvassing Board must review and approve the results before they are official. The county canvass report is then sent to the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office, where it is carefully reviewed and incorporated into a statewide canvass report that is presented to the State Canvassing Board. This board is responsible for canvassing and certifying the results of all statewide elections.

You can learn more about the canvassing board process here.

Additionally, the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office has launched a "Minnesota Elections Facts" webpage to answer questions Minnesota voters may have about the voting process and results.

STATES PARTICIPATING IN SUPER TUESDAY

Minnesota is one of more than a dozen states participating in this year’s Super Tuesday, plus the territory of American Samoa.

Iowa will be releasing results from the Democratic Presidential preference caucus, and Alaska will have a primary for the Republican side of the ticket. The state’s Democratic primary will be in April.

Meanwhile, American Samoa will have a caucus on Tuesday for the Democratic presidential candidates, with the Republican caucus being held on Friday. The territory won’t be releasing its results from Tuesday’s caucus until later in the week.

The other states participating in Super Tuesday are Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia. Wisconsin will have its primary on April 2.

THE CANDIDATES

Below are the names that will appear for Democrats, Republicans and the Legal Marijuana Now parties. Links to each candidate’s website are provided if a website is available.

Joining President Joe Biden on the ballot for Democrats include Congressman Dean Phillips (D-Minnesota), Eban Cambridge, Gabriel Cornejo, Frank Lozada, Jason Palmer, Armando Perez-Serrato, Cenk Uygur and Marianne Williamson. As reported by ABC News last month, Williamson has ended her campaign.

Republicans on Tuesday’s ballot include former president Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis and Chris Christie. However, Christie, Ramaswamy and DeSantis ended their campaigns in January.

For third-party candidates, the Legal Marijuana Now party will have Robert Edward Forchion Jr., Krystal Gabel, Rudy Reyes, Dennis Schuller and Vermin Supreme on the ballot. Although they will be listed, Forchion has since withdrawn his candidacy, and Gabel has previously said she didn’t agree to be on the ballot.

CLICK HERE for full primary results and HERE for KSTP’s full election coverage.