Election Day has arrived. Here’s what you need to know.

It’s time to vote, Minnesota. Your Election Day questions, answered: 

How do I vote?

Use the Minnesota Secretary of State website to find your polling place and who is on your ballot.

Most Minnesota polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. As long as you’re in line to vote by 8 p.m., you can still cast your ballot even if you don’t make it to a voting booth until after 8 p.m.

Minnesota has same-day registration, so you can still vote even if you didn’t register early. To register at your polling place on Tuesday, you need to bring a proof of residence. Here are acceptable forms:

• A valid Minnesota driver’s license, learners permit or ID
• Tribal ID
• A photo ID plus a document (can be shown electronically) with current address that is dated within 30 days of election, like a utility bill, rent or mortgage bill, lease or rent agreement or student fee statement
• A registered voter who can go with you to a polling place who can confirm your address, also known as vouching
• College student ID with housing list. Colleges send election officials a student housing list
• A notice of late registration sent through the mail
• A staff person from a residential facility who can go with you to a polling place to confirm your address

If you are registered but changed names or moved somewhere within the same precinct, you can tell the election judge your previous name or address.

Find more information about the election, registering to vote, what kind of identification is needed and what candidates are on your ballot here. 

How many Minnesotans have voted so far?

As of Monday, Nov. 7, more than 586,000 absentee ballots have been accepted for the state general election, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. This is far fewer absentee ballots compared to the 2020 general election in which over 1.9 million ballots were accepted.

Minnesotans were likely seeking more absentee ballots in 2020 because of COVID-19.

This year’s absentee ballot submissions appear to be on par with the last non-pandemic general election, 2018, when more than 638,000 absentee ballots were accepted, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

How do I learn about the mechanics of Minnesota elections, like recounts and stuff?

That’s easy, just read our series on the subject by Max Hailperin. 

Who’s running for statewide office?

DFL Gov. Tim Walz and Republican nominee Scott Jensen are vying to be governor. Walz’s tenure has been dominated by crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic and the police murder of George Floyd, and his campaign has been primarily answering for the decisions he’s made in the past two years. He is now hoping for another term to implement his agenda: more education funding, a solid economy and clean energy initiatives and the jobs they would create.

Jensen, a Chaska family doctor, rose to national prominence with his unconventional COVID-19 views and vaccine skepticism. The former one-term state senator has attacked Walz for rising crime, inflation and COVID-19 shutdowns. 

If elected, Jensen says he will eliminate Minnesota’s individual income tax, which would largely benefit wealthy Minnesotans; cut funding for public education and implement school vouchers; and make Minnesota more “tough on crime” with harsher criminal penalties and more State Patrol in high-crime areas.

In the race for Minnesota attorney general, former hedge fund lawyer Jim Schultz is attempting to become the first GOP attorney general in more than 50 years by unseating Democrat Keith Ellison. Schultz has attacked Ellison for Minnesota’s rising crime rates despite the office’s limited role in crime fighting.

Schultz has touted endorsements from sheriffs and law enforcement across the state. If elected, Schultz said he would reallocate resources from other divisions, like consumer protection, to beef up the criminal division.

During his time as attorney general, Ellison has aggressively advanced progressive goals.  He sued oil companies for allegedly deceiving the public on climate change, drug companies for their role in the opioid epidemic and COVID-19 testing companies for flawed performance.

In the race for the state’s top election official, Republican nominee and election-denier Kim Crockett is running to unseat Secretary of State Steve Simon.

Crockett called the 2020 election “rigged” and is a believer in the false assertion that former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election. She has accused Simon of overseeing a “lawless” 2020 election when he agreed to a judicially approved consent decree to expand mail balloting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Crockett is also part of a right-wing network that’s recruiting an army of activists to supervise balloting, though Democrats say their real aim is to suppress the vote.

Simon was sworn in as secretary of state in 2015. Throughout his campaign, Simon has touted Minnesota’s record leading the nation in voter turnout. He credits this to confidence in the state’s elections, calling Minnesota’s election system “fundamentally fair, accurate, honest and secure.”

The race for Minnesota state auditor is also up for grabs, with DFL incumbent Julie Blaha vying for another term and GOP nominee Ryan Wilson seeking to unseat her. The state auditor oversees local government spending and creates reports about local governments’ finances. Wilson’s campaign is almost entirely self-funded.

How about the Legislature?

Republicans currently have a narrow majority in the state Senate, while the Democrats have a similarly slim majority in the House. All 201 legislative seats are up for election. 

Due to redistricting and a bevy of retirements, the Legislature will welcome a lot of new members, and the stakes will be high: Lawmakers will convene in January to decide on a two-year budget that could reach $55 billion or more. They’ll also have important policy debates about criminal justice, environmental regulations and schools. 

Are there any interesting U.S. House races?

The race for Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District will be closely watched nationwide, as it could determine whether Republicans or Democrats control the U.S. House. Democrat U.S. Rep. Angie Craig is in a rematch against Republican Tyler Kistner, whom she narrowly beat for the seat in 2020 by 9,580 votes.

The 2nd Congressional District seat is among the 35 U.S. House seats that are the most competitive in the country, according to the Cook Political Report, and outside groups have poured millions into the race, making it the most expensive congressional race in Minnesota history.

Craig has attacked Kistner for his past anti-abortion statements and made abortion a focus of her campaign. Kistner has sought to pin rising inflation on Craig for her support of President Joe Biden’s policies.

The race may also be affected by Legal Marijuana Now Party candidate Paula Overby, who died last month. Her name will still appear on the ballot. 

Who is running for Hennepin County attorney?

Finally, the state’s largest collection of prosecutors sits in the Office of the Hennepin County Attorney. Current County Attorney Mike Freeman is retiring. DFL-endorsed Mary Moriarty, who is the former Hennepin County chief public defender, is running against Martha Holton Dimick, a retired Hennepin County judge.

Holton Dimick says reducing crime is her top priority, while Moriarty has campaigned on criminal justice reform and holding police accountable for misconduct.