Primary day: A 'very hot race' goes to Minnesota voters

After spending millions of dollars and shaking countless hands, the three DFL candidates for governor on Tuesday finally turn over their fate to primary election voters, who will send one of them to the general election in November.

Despite predictions of a low turnout, Democratic interest in the three-way race has helped spike absentee voting, with more people casting such ballots this year than in any other primary election in at least two decades.

"It's so far ahead of the historical average; we think it's an all-time record," Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said Monday.

While absentee voting in primaries has hovered around 20,000 in recent elections, it passed 28,000 by Monday afternoon, a 37 percent increase over 2008.

One factor may be the timing. The state's traditional September primary was moved this year to August, a month when Minnesotans flock to cabins or other away-from-home vacation spots. Legislators opted to move the primary to give overseas military personnel more time to receive and return absentee ballots.

"It looks like the word has gotten out that the primary is early this year ... and that absentee voting either in person or through the mail is a good way of having your voice heard," Ritchie said.

He also credited "a very hot race" among gubernatorial candidates Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Mark Dayton and Matt Entenza with boosting absentee votes.

Ritchie said that the importance of absentee voting in the outcome of the historic 2008 U.S. Senate election also has spread awareness of the option. But that absentee surge may not translate into a higher overall turnout on Tuesday, Ritchie said. He said the rule of thumb is that significant competition in all three major parties generates a 20 percent turnout, but that competition in a single party yields a figure closer to 10 percent.

"We're guessing down around the 10 percent range, because there's really only one party with a hot race," he said, adding, "We could all be very surprised."

Here are the Secretary of State's Office answers to common questions about voting in the primary:

Q: Where do I vote?

A: Most people can vote in or near their neighborhood. The secretary of state's website has a locator by ZIP code and street for appropiate local polling places. It can be accessed at: http://poll finder.sos.state.mn.us/

A: Most open at 7 a.m. A few rural polling places may open as late as 10 a.m. All polls close at 8 p.m.

Q: What if I'm in line outside my polling place when it closes?

A: At 8 p.m., an election judge decides who is the last person in line. Those in line before 8 p.m. can vote even if the line extends outside the building.

Q: What if I haven't registered?

A: Minnesota has same-day registration. Bring proof of residency. Valid documentation includes:

• A valid student ID card including your photo, if your college has provided a student housing list to election officials.

• Expired photo IDs can be used in combination with some utility bills that show a current address.

Consult the Secretary of State website for additional documents accepted as proof of residence.

Q: Can I bring a sample ballot from my political party or the newspaper into the polling place?

A: Yes, as long as you make an effort to conceal it from other voters while outside the voting booth and take it with you when you leave.

A: No. Election judges are instructed to tell all voters displaying campaign material to conceal or remove it.

Q: Can I vote for candidates from different parties?

A: Voters may only choose among candidates from one political party in a state primary election and cannot vote for candidates of differing parties.

Pat Doyle • 651-222-1210