Early voting begins Jan. 19 in Minneapolis for the presidential primary. Voters in the city are among the first in the nation to cast in-person ballots in this high-profile race, and they can do that at the Early Vote Center from Jan. 19 through the day before the March 5 primary. The Early Vote Center is at 980 E. Hennepin Ave.

Unlike with other elections, voters in the presidential primary choose which of the participating major party’s ballot they want. The party they choose is not public information, though it will be available to the selected major party.

Standard hours for the Early Vote Center are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The center is closed on Presidents Day, Feb. 19. The center is also open the last two weekends before the primary. Besides the Early Vote Center, voters can vote early at the downtown Hennepin County Government Center, 300 Sixth St. S. You can find more information on early voting options on the City website.

The Early Vote Center makes early in-person voting more convenient for Minneapolis voters. It’s especially helpful to people who need language support or other special accommodations, such as curbside voting. Voting early can help people avoid lines and crowds at polling places on the day of the election.

Vote early by mail

Any voter can vote early by mail; no reason is required. Please allow enough time to complete the process by mail. It can take up to seven days. You can complete your applications online on the City website. 

Make sure you’re registered to vote

While people can register to vote at the polls, preregistering speeds up voting on the day of the primary. Voters can check the status of their registrations on the City website. If you’ve moved to a new address or had a name change since last registering, you’ll need to reregister to vote. If you haven’t voted in the past four years, you’ll need to reregister.

Preregister online, or fill out and mail in a registration application, which is available at government offices and the City website. Preregistration ends 21 days before the March 5 primary.