Ready, Set, Vote -- By Absentee If You Wish
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Election Day has arrived in Minnesota. Sort of.
The state's absentee voting window opened Friday, giving people who want to vote early access to their ballots.
This is the first statewide general election since Minnesota expanded its absentee process to allow early in-person or by mail absentee voting without a valid excuse. Officials expect to see an uptick in ballots submitted well in advance of Nov. 4.
Political parties and candidates have activated get-out-the-vote programs sooner than usual to coincide with the lengthened window.
A couple dozen Democratic legislators and community organizers held a rally outside Ramsey County's location Friday to trumpet the start of voting and highlight party efforts to mobilize people prone to sitting out elections.
"We're in the 21st century. People live differently. There are different cycles to our work," said Rep. Carlos Mariani of St. Paul. "We want to participate in a way that actually works for our lives."
Republicans, too, have invested heavily in absentee-voting programs aimed both at hardcore Republicans and those who lean GOP but have a spotty voting history.
"It's a great opportunity to make sure our people get out to vote — and to get as many Republican votes in the bank early," Party Chairman Keith Downey said.
Previously, people seeking to vote absentee had to attest that they were ill or disabled, were scheduled to be away from home, serving elsewhere as an election judge or had a religious observance.
The law changes will also give political operatives a chance to pinpoint their campaign messaging, too. Election administrators will periodically supply information about which voters have submitted absentee ballots, so conceivably those people can be taken off of phone or mailing lists late in the campaign.
Absentee voting is different from other states' early voting because the ballots are not put into counting machines right away, giving people a chance to substitute their ballot if they change their mind so long as they void their prior one by Oct. 28. Then, they could get a new ballot or show up on Election Day to sub it out.
County auditor and city clerk offices have set up polling stations for people who want to vote early in person. On Friday, the Minneapolis City Council voted to extend office hours into the evening in the two weeks before the November election and add opportunities to vote on Saturdays and Sundays.
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