Accessible Voting in Minnesota
For the Tuesday, November 5, 2024 General Election in Minnesota
Voting Information
Visit your state Polling Place Accessibility page
Phone: (651) 215-1440 or 1(877) 600-VOTE (8683)
Contact your local election office for polling places and other information.
Read the REV UP voting guide for your state
Register to vote
- Voter registration in Minnesota
- Deadlines and information in 18 languages at vote.gov
Your rights
As a voter with a disability, you have a right to vote privately and independently, at an accessible voting location, on an accessible voting system.
Organizations that can help If you can't find the information you need at your state or local election office.
- Contact your local Center for Independent Living
- Contact your state National Disability Rights Network office.
- Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE to report any problems voting
Other websites for voting information
- REV UP Voting Guides for voting info and plain language definitions
- VoteRiders for Voter ID requirements
- Vote.gov for information about registering to vote
- Vote411.org for what’s on your ballot
Voting features in Minnesota for voters with disabilities
- Sign up each year to receive a ballot by mail for all elections
- Ask about accessible vote-by-mail system
Self-advocacy! Ask your local election office about:
- Information in large print, audio, or Braille versions
- Curbside or drive-up voting.
- Ballot delivery to your home or a “ride to the polls” program
- How to practice using the accessible voting system
- Emergency voting options if you are hospitalized or ill
- How to get assistance voting
- Other services for voters with disabilities
Learn more about the laws that protect your rights
Early voting is voting in person before Election Day, which is usually less crowded than going to vote on Election Day itself. There are different kinds of early voting, so check the options available for you. They might include:
- vote centers where you can vote at any location in your jurisdiction
- super polling places where you are assigned a location
- voting at an elections office or satellite office
- in-person absentee, where you go to an elections office, get your mail ballot, and then mark and cast it in the office.
September 20 through November 4, early voting is available at your local election office.
Early voting hours and locations can vary. Check with your local elections office.
Find an early voting center near you.
- You can drop off your ballot at all early voting locations.
When you vote in person on Election Day, you go to a voting center to mark and cast your ballot in person. Every in-person voting location is required to have accessible voting systems available.
Polling places are open until 8:00 pm.
- Same-day registration is available at all Election Day voting locations.
Find your polling place.
- First-time voters are asked to show identification.
You can drop off your mail ballot at your local elections office on Election Day.
Accessible voting systems for in-person voting
The accessible voting systems used in Minnesota are shown below. Contact your local election office for more information or a change to practice using the system you will vote on.
AutoMARK
A ballot marking device.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls on the front of the device.
The printed ballot is a facsimile of a hand-marked paper ballot.
Ballots are cast at a separate scanner.
Learn more about using an AutoMARK
- Short video from Wisconsin Elections (YouTube 3:55)
- Video from NY City Board of Elections (YouTube 13:47)
Dominion ImageCast Evolution
A ballot marking device attached to a ballot scanner.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls on a small keypad.
The ballot is printed internally and cast on the same device.
The printed ballot is a facsimile of a hand-marked paper ballot.
Hart InterCivic Verity Touch Writer
A ballot marking device.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls using the Hart “move wheel.”
The printed ballot is a facsimile of a hand-marked paper ballot.
The ballot is cast at a separate scanner.
Learn more about using the Touch Writer
- Short video tutorial from Hart (YouTube 2:29)
- Longer instructional video from Michigan (YouTube 11:36)
- Information about Verity Touch Writer from Pennsylvania
- Verity Touch Writer product page from Hart InterCivic
Democracy Live OmniBallot Tablet
A ballot marking system.
It has a touch screen, audio, and tactile controls.
The printed ballot is a facsimile of a hand-marked paper ballot.
Ballots are cast at a scanner.
Learn more about using the OmniBallot Tablet
- News report from Minnesota about the OmniBallot with demonstrations (YouTube 2:53 no captions)
- OmniBallot information for poll workers (YouTube 13:08 no captions)
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Voting by mail can be an accessible option for voters with disabilities. It lets you vote at home, so you can mark, verify and return a paper ballot privately and independently. Some states have emergency options if you are hospitalized or ill. |
Deadline to return your ballot:
Received by the close of polls on Election Day, November 5 for mailed ballots.
How to get your ballot
- All voters can request a ballot.
- Voters can sign up to receive a ballot for all elections in a year.
To get your ballot you can:
- Request a ballot online.
- Download, print, and mail a request form.
- Return the request form by email or fax.
- You must provide the number from your state-issued photo ID, such as your driver's license.
- If you don't have a state-issued photo ID, you can use your Social Security Number.
- If you request a ballot online, you may need to provide the number from a state-issued photo ID or your Social Security Number.
How to return your ballot
By mail
At your local elections office
At a secure drop box
Find a ballot drop-off location near you at your local elections website.
Make sure your ballot counts! Remember...
Return your ballot promptly. Postmarks don't count.
Postage is pre-paid so you don't need a stamp.
Make sure your ballot is sealed in the envelope.
Sign the form on the envelope.
Have a witness sign the form on the envelope.
- Ask your local elections office who can return your ballot for you.
- If someone helped you, have them complete the form for assistants.
Learn about accessible voting by mail options in the next card.
Accessible voting by mail allows voters with disabilities to mark a mail-in ballot electronically, using their own technology and assistive tools.
To use accessible tools for voting by mail, typically voters:
- Download an electronic ballot to mark using personal technology
- Print the ballot and any signature form
- Seal the ballot in an envelope
- Return it by mail or to a ballot drop off locatoin
Some states allow electronic return by email, fax, or a secure portal.
There is a statewide accessible vote by mail program in Minnesota called Accessible absentee ballot
- You can use accessible vote by mail if you have a disability that prevents you from marking a paper ballot.
Contact your {local elections office} to find out if there is an accessible vote-by-mail tool you can use and how to request access to it.
Ask about other options available to help you vote by mail, for example:
Home visits by election workers who can help you complete your vote by mail ballot.
Deadline to return your ballot:
Received by the close of polls on Election Day, November 5 for mailed ballots.
Returning a printed ballot
The systems in use in Minnesota for accessible voting by mail are:
Learn more about accessible voting options in Minnesota