Minneapolis residents are voting in higher numbers than they did at this point in the last municipal election, signaling intense interest in the early stages of the historic races.

Voters submitted 4,995 ballots as of Thursday, 3,345 of which were cast in person and 1,643 of which were returned via mail, according to the Minneapolis elections office. Seven were collected via other means, such as through Hennepin County offices or health care settings.

As of midweek, the number of ballots returned was about 50% ahead of the level seen at this point in the 2017 elections, when the last citywide races were held.

"We are higher," said Aaron Grossman, a city elections supervisor. He cautioned against trying to guess what that might mean for a final turnout in the races.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, people grew more accustomed to voting early or by mail. It's too early to tell whether that might affect the turnout on Election Day.

Voters this year will answer questions determining the future of policing, rent control and government powers. They also will select a mayor, council members and representatives for the Park and Recreation Board and the Board of Estimate and Taxation.

Residents of Minneapolis, St. Paul and several suburbs will have at least one rank choice election on their ballots this November. But how does ranked choice voting work, and what does it mean for our elections?
Video (01:26): How does ranked choice voting work?

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