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Hennepin County, Minnesota

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Prepare to vote

Voting in elections is your opportunity to be heard, hold elected officials accountable, and have a say in important issues that affect your community. Prepare to vote so you can take part in our democracy.

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Key dates

February

February 1: Precinct caucuses

February 8: Special election for Brooklyn Park Council Member East District, polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

February 15: Intended redistricting deadline for congressional and state legislative districts

March

March 29: Redistricting deadline for municipalities

April

April 26: Redistricting deadline for county and school districts

May

May 17: Early candidate filing period opens for offices with a potential primary

May 31: Early candidate filing period closes at 5 p.m. for offices with a potential primary

June

June 2: Early candidate filing withdrawal deadline ends at 5 p.m. for offices with a potential primary

June 24: Absentee voting opens for primary

August

August 2: Filing period for offices without a primary opens

August 6: Extended hours for absentee voting 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

August 8: In-person absentee voting for primary closes at 5 p.m.

August 9: Primary election day, polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

August 16: Filing period for offices without a primary closes at 5 p.m.

August 18: Candidate withdrawal deadline ends at 5 p.m. for offices without a primary

September

September 23: Absentee voting opens for general election

October

October 29: Extended hours for absentee voting 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

October 31: Extended hours for absentee voting 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

November

November 1: Extended hours for absentee voting 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

November 2: Extended hours for absentee voting 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

November 3: Extended hours for absentee voting 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

November 4: Extended hours for absentee voting 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

November 5: Extended hours for absentee voting 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

November 7: In-person absentee voting for general election closes at 5 p.m.

November 8: General election day, polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Possible future special election dates

County, city and school special elections

Must be held on one of the following dates:

  • Second Tuesday in February (February 7, 2023)
  • Second Tuesday in April (April 11, 2023)
  • Second Tuesday in May (May 9, 2023)
  • Second Tuesday in August (August 8, 2023)
  • First Tuesday after the first Monday in November (November 7, 2023)

Federal and state special elections

May be held at other times.

This list of offices is subject to change. (Last updated 4/25/2022) 

Primary election – August 9, 2022 

General election – November 8, 2022

Federal Offices – all potential Primary

United States Representative Districts: 3, 5, and 6

State Offices – all potential Primary

  • State Senator for Districts: 29, 30, 34, 37, 38, 39, 42, 43, 45, 46, 49, 50, 51, 59, 60, 61, 62, and 63
  • State Representative for Districts: 29A, 30A, 34A, 34B, 37A, 37B, 38A, 38B, 39B, 42A, 42B, 43A, 43B, 45A, 45B, 46A, 46B, 49A, 49B, 50A, 50B, 51A, 51B, 59A, 59B, 60A, 60B, 61A, 61B, 62A, 62B, 63A, and 63B   
  • Governor and Lt Governor
  • Secretary of State
  • State Auditor
  • Attorney General

County Offices – all potential Primary

  • County Commissioner for Districts 2, 3, and 4
  • County Park Commissioner for Districts 2 and 4
  • County Attorney
  • County Sheriff

City offices

  • Brooklyn Center – Mayor, 2 Council Members – potential Primary
  • Brooklyn Park – Mayor, Council Member Central, East and West districts – potential Primary
  • Champlin – Mayor, Council Member Wards 1 and 2
  • Chanhassen – Mayor, 2 Council Members, Special Election for Council Member
  • Corcoran – Mayor, 2 Council Members, Special Election for Council Member
  • Crystal – Mayor, Council Member Section II, Council Member Wards 1 and 2 – potential Primary
  • Dayton – Mayor, 2 Council Members – potential Primary
  • Deephaven – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • Eden Prairie – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • Edina – 2 Council Members
  • Excelsior – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • Greenfield – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • Greenwood – 2 Council Members
  • Hanover – 2 Council Members
  • Long Lake – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • Loretto – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • Maple Grove – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • Maple Plain – 2 Council Members
  • Medicine Lake – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • Medina – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • Minnetonka Beach – Mayor, 2 Council Members, Treasurer
  • Minnetrista – 2 Council Members
  • Mound – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • New Hope – 2 Council Members – potential Primary
  • Orono – 2 Council Members
  • Osseo – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • Plymouth – Mayor, Council Member at Large, Council Member Wards 2 and 4
  • Richfield – Mayor, Council Member at Large – potential Primary
  • Robbinsdale – Council Member Wards 3 and 4, Special Election for Council Member Ward 1 – potential Primary
  • Rockford – 2 Council Members
  • Rogers – Mayor, 2 Council Members – potential Primary
  • Shorewood – 2 Council Members
  • Spring Park – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • St. Bonifacius – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • Tonka Bay – Mayor, 2 Council Members
  • Wayzata – 2 Council Members
  • Woodland – 2 Council Members

School district offices

  • SSD 1 Minneapolis – 2 School Board Members at Large, School Board Members District 1, 3 and 5 – potential Primary
  • ISD 110 Waconia – 4 School Board Members
  • ISD 111 Watertown-Mayer – 3 School Board Members
  • ISD 272 Eden Prairie – 4 School Board Members
  • ISD 276 Minnetonka – Special Election for School Board Member
  • ISD 278 Orono – 3 School Board Members
  • ISD 279 Osseo – 3 School Board Members
  • ISD 281 Robbinsdale – 4 School Board Members
  • ISD 283 St. Louis Park – 2 Special Elections for School Board Member, 2 Ballot Questions (Primary ballot only)
  • ISD 284 Wayzata – Special Election for School Board Member
  • ISD 286 Brooklyn Center – 3 School Board Members
  • ISD 728 Elk River – 3 School Board Members at Large, 1 School Board District 2
  • ISD 877 Buffalo – 3 School Board Members
  • ISD 879 Delano – 4 School Board Members
  • ISD 883 Rockford – 3 School Board Members

Judicial Offices – all potential Primary

Supreme Court 

  • Associate Justice, Seat 3 (Gordon L. Moore III)
  • Associate Justice, Seat 6 (Natalie E. Hudson)

Courts of Appeals

  • Associate Justice, Seat 1 (Theodora K. Gaitas)
  • Associate Justice, Seat 5 (Louise Dovre Bjorkman)
  • Associate Justice, Seat 7 (Susan Segal)
  • Associate Justice, Seat 8 (Denise D. Reilly)
  • Associate Justice, Seat 10 (Jennifer L. Frisch)
  • Associate Justice, Seat 11 (Michelle Ann Larkin)
  • Associate Justice, Seat 16 (Peter M. Reyes, Jr.)
  • Associate Justice, Seat 17 (Matthew E. Johnson)
  • Associate Justice, Seat 18 (Jeffrey M. Bryan)
  • Associate Justice, Seat 19 (Francis J. Connolly)

4th District Court

  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 4 (Juan G. Hoyos)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 7 (Tamara G. Garcia)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 8 (Anna Andow)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 9 (Michael K. Browne)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 18 (Susan N. Burke)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 21 (Maximillia Utley)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 23 (Marta M. Chou)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 24 (Nicole A Engisch)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 26 (Joseph R. Klein)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 31 (Rachel C. Hughey)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 34 (Karen A. Janisch)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 36 (Julia Dayton Klein)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 37 (Carolina A. Lamas)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 38 (Colette Routel)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 39 (Laurie J. Miller)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 41 (Hilary Lindell Caligiuri)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 45 (Paul R. Scoggin)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 46 (Theresa Couri)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 50 (Rachna B. Sullivan)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 51 (Laura M. Thomas)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 52 (Terri D. Yellowhammer)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 60 (Bruce D. Manning)
  • Judge, Fourth District Court, Seat 62 (Julie Allyn)

Check your registration status

You will need to enter your name, birth date, and address. Find this information at the Minnesota Secretary of State voter information portal.

Register to vote

2022 key dates

July 19: Deadline to pre-register to vote for primary

October 18: Deadline to pre-register to vote for general election

Frequently asked questions

Why did I receive a pre-filled voter registration application?

Several organizations send out mailings to increase voter participation. Mailings can include information regarding voter registration status, along with pre-filled absentee ballot and voter registration applications. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of data used by these organizations. Please check your voter registration status or contact our office with questions at hc.vote@hennepin.us or 612-348-5151.

Am I eligible to vote?

See the Minnesota Secretary of State’s site for details.

When do I need to update my voter registration?

If you are currently registered to vote, you do not need to register again unless you have moved to a different address, moved to a new apartment or condo, changed your name, or not voted at least once within the last four years. Voters are encouraged to register before Election Day. Registration temporarily closes 20 days before the election, and opens again on Election Day for voters who register at their polling place.

Are voter registration applications available in multiple languages?

Yes. See the Minnesota Secretary of State’s site for details.

Can I register to vote with my post office or mail center box address?

No. By law, you may only vote in the precinct where you live or reside. When you fill out your registration application, you must provide the address of your residence. In general, your residence is where:

  • Your home is
  • You usually sleep
  • You intend to return after you've been temporarily away
  • You live with your family, if you have one

What happens to my voter registration if I change my address with the U.S. Postal Service?

If you move and submit a permanent forwarding order to the U.S. Postal Service, your voter registration may be automatically updated to your new address for you. You will receive a postcard with your new address and new voting location. When you receive this card, please verify the residential address is correct. If the information is not correct, please follow the instructions on the post card.

What do I need to know if I am conducting a voter registration drive?

Individuals or organizations conducting voter registration drives may print the voter registration applications or receive up to 100 paper application at a time from Hennepin County Elections. Contact hc.vote@hennepin.us or 612-348-5151 to schedule a time to pick up the applications.

First, make sure the voters are completing the registration applications correctly. The voter must:

  • Answer "Yes" to the first two questions at the top of the form: “Are you a U.S. citizen?” and “Will you be at least 18 on or before the next election?” Do not fill out the questions yourself unless the voter requests assistance.
  • Provide a Minnesota driver's license or Minnesota ID card number if the voter has one. Otherwise, voter must provide the last four digits of their Social Security number. If the voter has neither, the voter must check the box for “I do not have a Minnesota-issued driver’s license, a MN-issued ID card, or a Social Security number.”
  • Include voter's name, address, date of birth, and signature on the form.

Second, make sure to return all the completed voter registration applications on time. Minnesota law requires you to submit the completed applications within 10 days after they are dated by the voters. Return them to our office in the Hennepin County Government Center, any county service center, any city hall in Hennepin County, or the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. If you mail the applications, please include a copy of your business card. If a voter chooses to take an application and mail it in later, please have the voter phone our office at 612-348-5151 for more details. The Minnesota Secretary of State’s site has voter outreach and education materials available to download and print or to order.

Precinct caucuses are the first step used by Minnesota’s major political parties to select the candidates and issues they will support in the upcoming elections. Anyone who lives in the precinct and is eligible to vote or will be eligible to vote by the state general election may attend. Participants must support or intend to support the party and may only participate in one party’s caucus. Minnesota has four major parties.

The purpose of precinct caucuses is to elect local party officers and delegates to the party conventions and to discuss resolutions. Precinct caucuses may also be used by the major political parties as opportunities to conduct preference polls and to help recruit election judges.

More information including caucus dates and locations can be found on the Minnesota Secretary of State's Precinct caucuses page.

Hennepin County polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on primary and election days.

COVID-19 response

Ongoing COVID-19 policies may differ by jurisdiction.

Find your polling place

Use the Minnesota Secretary of State's polling place finder. After entering your address, the finder will tell you if you have an upcoming election, where to vote and show a sample ballot for your precinct.

In the even-numbered years all polling places are open. Not all cities and school districts hold elections in the odd-numbered years.

Election day voter registration

In Minnesota, you can register or update your registration at your polling place on Election Day. Find out what you’ll need to bring with you.

Tips for new voters

Never voted before? Learn what will happen when you show up for your first vote!

Assistance and accessibility

Learn different ways to get help during the voting process, as well as rules for polling place accessibility.

Learn more

New accessible voting technology

Hennepin County polling places will feature new assistive voting technology this year. The OmniBallot Tablet is a ballot marking device for voters with disabilities, allowing voters to mark their ballots independently and privately without using a pen.

Accessible

  • Provides ballot magnification or high-contrast background for voters with visual impairment
  • Offers audio reading of the ballot through headphones
  • Allows voters three options to mark choices:
    • Touchscreen
    • Braille keypad
    • 3-button device

Easy to use

  • Uses the same ballot as everyone else
  • A printer fills the ovals on the ballot
  • Ballot goes in the same tabulator to be counted as all other ballots
  • An election judge will be available at polling places to answer questions

Learn more

To schedule an organization or group demonstration email voteroutreach@hennepin.us.

Watch or listen to a video about How to use the OmniBallot Tablet (YouTube)!

Download a printable overview

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