Early voting at record pace in Minneapolis; more than 19K have already cast ballots for November election
[KSTP]
Two weeks into early voting, Minneapolis is seeing a high number of voters casting ballots ahead of Election Day in November. According to the city, the sharp increase is due in large part to people voting early to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Through Sept. 30, Elections and Voter Services has mailed out 133,442 requested mail ballots. Of those, 12,236 completed ballots have either been returned by mail or dropped off to election officials. Another 4,842 voters have cast their ballot in person at the Early Vote Center, and 2,243 ballots from Minneapolis voters have been received by Hennepin County Elections, according to a release. That translates to 19,321 voters in the city that have now officially cast their ballots. There is still about another month of early voting to go.
For comparison, Minneapolis had 60,538 total early votes cast in the entire 2016 general election.
At this point in the 2016 election, 12,754 requested mail ballots had been sent out. Of those, 2,559 completed ballots had either been returned by mail or dropped off to election officials, 1,270 voters had cast a ballot in person at four Early Vote Centers and 292 ballots from Minneapolis had been received by the county– totaling 4,121 votes cast.
For additional information on 2020 voter turnout, check out the city’s interactive voter turnout maps, which are updated daily.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is encouraging voting early by mail as are Minneapolis Elections and Voter Services and Minneapolis Department of Health officials.
For voters who want to vote early by mail, the city recommends applying for mail ballots at least 14 days before the Nov. 3 election (Oct. 20). Mail ballots may be mailed back in the postage-paid envelope or delivered in person to 980 E. Hennepin Avenue or to Hennepin County Elections, 300 Sixth Street. Ballots delivered in person must be received by 3 p.m. on Nov. 3. Mail ballots may not be accepted at polling places on Nov. 3.