ST. PAUL, Minn.—October 3, 2012 –Secretary of State Mark Ritchie today reminded eligible Minnesota voters that the deadline to pre-register to vote in the upcoming general election is Tuesday, October 16.
“Minnesota voters can register at their polling place on Election Day, but pre-registering will save you time when you go vote on November 6,” Secretary Ritchie said.
State law requires Minnesotans to be registered at their current address before they are allowed to vote. Registrations remain current until voters move or change their names. Voters must re-register if they have not voted in the last four years.
Minnesotans may pre-register to vote by completing a voter registration application and submitting it to their county auditor's office or the Office of the Secretary of State. Applications are available online at www.mnvotes.org or at county government offices and public libraries.
Those who register prior to the deadline will appear in the roster at their polling place and will not have to provide additional documentation at the polling place on Election Day. Minnesota allows eligible voters to register on Election Day as long as they provide proper proof of residence. For more information about voting eligibility requirements, visit www.mnvotes.org.
Voters can use the office’s online Voter Registration Lookup at www.mnvotes.org to quickly learn whether they are registered at their current address. This online tool will let voters know whether their polling place has changed due to redistricting and provide additional information such as how to register, the dates of the next election and a list of candidates.
