Absentee voting begins Sept. 18 for general election

Sept. 14, 2026

Absentee voting will begin Sept. 18 for the general election on Nov. 3.

Voters may request an absentee ballot, complete it according to the enclosed instructions and return it in the envelopes provided. Absentee ballots must be returned by Election Day.

Early voting for the general election begins Oct. 16. Voters can sign in, receive a ballot and place their completed ballot in a tabulator, just like they do on Election Day.

Early voting will be available at the Dakota County Administration Center in Hastings, the Northern Service Center in West St. Paul and the Western Service Center in Apple Valley. It is also available at most city halls during regular business hours.

Voters can take advantage of convenient, extended hours during select weekends. A schedule is available on the Absentee Ballot and Early Voting page.

The deadline to pre-register for the general election is Oct. 13. Voters can still register to vote at their polling place on Election Day.

Election Day voting will take place from 7 a.m.–8 p.m. Find your polling place at pollfinder.sos.mn.gov. Check your registration status online at MNvotes.gov or call 651-438-4305.

As voters prepare for this election, it’s important to be alert for scams that may impersonate election officials. Dakota County Elections will never contact voters by text or ask for personal information without speaking to them or sending correspondence by mail. If you are concerned about your voter registration status, you can check it online at MNvotes.org or call 651-438-4305.

For more election information, visit MNvotes.org.