The number of Minnesotans who've voted absentee ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections eclipsed 450,000 this week, according to the Secretary of State's Office.
Minnesota had accepted nearly 452,000 absentee ballots as of Thursday, compared to roughly 282,000 that had been accepted a week earlier.
The state is on track to exceed the early voting total during the last midterm election in 2018. Some 410,000 absentee ballots had been accepted at this time that year.
DFL Secretary of State Steve Simon said the latest absentee ballot data tell him two things: "There is energy and enthusiasm out there" this election cycle, and that "people have come to accept and embrace absentee voting in greater numbers."
Simon added he expects a spike in accepted absentee ballots in the final days before Election Day. He anticipates the state's final voter turnout rate will exceed 60%, again putting Minnesota in contention for the top spot in the nation.
This year's early voting total is sure to fall far below the record number of absentee ballots accepted for the 2020 election, when more people voted by mail as the COVID-19 pandemic raged. Nearly 2 million Minnesotans voted absentee that year as the virus spread and vaccines were not yet available.
About 8,450 absentee ballots have been rejected so far this year, according to the Secretary of State Office data. Nearly 40% were rejected because they did not have the required witness signature, while about 20% had no listed address, title or notary stamp.
The witness signature requirement is back this year after being waived in 2020 to ease voting access during the pandemic.
Those who've had ballots rejected will be notified by local officials and sent a new one.
Minnesotans can track the status of their absentee ballot on the Secretary of State's website. With the election just days away, Simon and other candidates on the ballot are encouraging Minnesotans who haven't yet submitted absentee ballots to drop them off in person at voting centers instead of mailing them.
Ballots must be received — not postmarked — by Election Day.
"The bottom line is the ballot has to get there back to the elections office by Election Day," Simon said. "That can be accomplished either by hand-delivering it or by having a trusted person deliver it for you."
Under state law, Minnesotans may deliver no more than three other ballots.
Simon noted that those who have absentee ballots but have not filled them out can choose to vote on Election Day instead if they prefer. Their blank absentee ballots will be "immediately voided" in that case.
Those with last-minute questions about voting can visit the Secretary of State website at mnvotes.gov or call the office at 1-877-600-VOTE.
