Checks & balances
in Minnesota’s Elections
Minnesota elections are run locally. Over 30,000 election workers in 3,000 polling places—our neighbors and friends—put country over party to ensure every election runs smoothly and every vote is secure and counted as the voter intended.
Officials verify every registration application. Whether submitted online, on paper, or at a polling place, every application is reviewed to confirm the voter meets Minnesota’s eligibility requirements.
All Minnesota votes are recorded on paper ballots and counted by voting machines that are certified and publicly tested for accuracy.
Election results are not final until every eligible vote is counted. Security and accuracy is prioritized over speed. Every step is overseen by bipartisan teams who require a 100% match between voters and ballots before reporting. After voting counts are finalized, additional layers of verification include comparing hand-counted ballots to machine totals and state canvassing boards that publicly review and certify results.
Minnesota ranked first in the nation on MIT’s nonpartisan Elections Performance Index,.The index assesses election administration, voter participation, and security. Minnesota’s strong performance was attributed to high turnout, balanced voting laws, short polling-place wait times, and accurate post-election audits.
Check the Secretary of State’s Page for more election facts.
Election workers work in a nonpartisan manner at every step of the voting, counting, and reporting processes in Minnesota.
Nonpartisan local election officials and party-balanced election workers make sure that our processes are fair, transparent, accurate, and secure and free of partisan influence or manipulation.
Review the facts
Minnesota’s Election Safeguards
Pre-Election
Before the Election
Voter registration requires proof of identity, proof of residence, and an oath of eligibility. To vote, you must be: a US Citizen, at least 18 years old by Election Day, a Minnesota resident for 20 days, not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction, and not under a court order revoking your right to vote.
Local officials then conduct rigorous reviews before each election using state and federal records to confirm eligibility (driver’s license, Social Security, health, and court records). They verify addresses by mail and update records (for example when voters turn 18, move, die, or become ineligible) in Minnesota’s Statewide Voter Registration system. The system is updated daily.
Automatic Voter Registration at the DMV requires proof of citizenship, verified in a two-step process by trained staff before being sent to the Secretary of State. Any records that cannot be verified are flagged for review and are not entered into the Statewide Voter Registration system unless they meet state requirements.
Voting Machines
Local officials purchase voting equipment that has been tested for accuracy, security, and accessibility through federal and Minnesota’s state certification processes.
Before and after every election, all Minnesota counties and municipalities must perform public accuracy tests on their voting equipment. These events are open to the public and observed by at least two election judges from different political parties. After testing, machines are secured and sealed until voting begins.
Training
Election judges must take an oath to administer the elections fairly and receive training on how to run a Minnesota election in compliance with state and federal laws.
During the Election
Voting on Election Day
At check-in, voters provide their name, address, and (if asked) date of birth. They sign an oath confirming eligibility and acknowledging that providing false information is a felony.
Same-day registration requires proof of identity and residence. People who register on Election Day go through the same checks as other voters. If their Postal Verification Card verification card is returned, county officials must confirm that they are eligible to vote. If they cannot confirm this—or find that the person is not eligible—the case is sent to the county attorney for further investigation and possible charges.
Minnesota law allows appointed challengers to challenge another voter’s eligibility if they have personal knowledge that the voter isn’t eligible to vote there.Suspicion is not a basis for making a challenge.
Election-related crimes are extremely rare, and formal processes exist to investigate them. If you believe that election misconduct, discrimination, voter intimidation, or other irregularities have occurred, you should file a complaint with your county attorney’s office. If you have questions or need assistance, contact the Secretary of State’s office by phone at 1-877-600-VOTE (8683) or by email at secretary.state@state.mn.us.
Early Voting
Absentee in Person and by Mail
Absentee ballots require ID verification, a witness, and the voter’s signature. Once received, at least two members of the absentee ballot board review the signature envelope to ensure it follows legal requirements. If information is missing, officials reject the ballot and provide an explanation to the registrant. When time allows, they mail a replacement; otherwise, they contact the voter via phone or email to arrange early in-person or voting in their polling place.
Officials record each accepted ballot in the Statewide Voter Registration System to ensure all state and local election officials have access to the latest data. Accepted ballots are stored securely. Ballots may be processed through secure machines starting 18 days before Election Day, but no results are reported until polls close.
After Election Day
Public Tests, Audits, and Records
Minnesota ensures election integrity through a decentralized system where the Secretary of State never touches a ballot; counting happens locally. Every step is overseen by bipartisan teams who require a 100% match between voters and ballots before reporting.
Vote Counts and Audits
When polls close, election judges use a 3-step match: the number of ballots issued, the machine tabulator total, and the number of physical paper ballots. They certify that all ballots are properly counted, then print the res.ults for transparency and document the precinct totals before the ballots are sealed and returned
Officials recheck voter records against databases of noncitizens and people in prison for felonies. Ineligible voters are flagged and referred to the county attorney for possible investigation and prosecution.
Precinct results are reported securely to counties and municipalities. Once reported, county or municipal officials securely upload voting results to the Secretary of State’s website.
Results remain unofficial until a rigorous canvassing and certification process is completed at both the county and state levels. A bipartisan, public post-election audit is conducted for local, state, and federal elections. At least two precincts in every county are randomly selected for hand counting; these results are then compared to the machine totals.
Recounts or Contested Elections
Candidates may request recounts or contest an election. Recounts are publicly funded if results are within a specific margin; otherwise, they are available if the candidate funds them. The public may watch the recounting of ballots and attend all county and State Canvassing Board meetings.
Final Storage & Review
All voted ballots and other election materials are securely maintained by local elections offices for 22 months following each election, as required by state and federal law.
Fact vs. Fiction
Common Election Myths
FACT
Vouching only establishes residence in a specific precinct. The voter must still provide valid ID (e.g., MN driver’s license, ID card, or last 4 digits of SSN). Vouching has been legal for 50+ years without a related criminal conviction, per the Secretary of State***
FICTION
Voters can use “vouching” to bypass identification or vote without credentials.
FACT
Voters registered before 1983 were not required to provide a birthdate. When Minnesota transitioned to digital rolls, “1900” was used as a system placeholder.
FICTION
A birth year of “1900” on a voter record indicates a fraudulent ballot.
FACT
Non-citizen voting is exceedingly rare. A University of St. Thomas analysis (2014–2024) found only three instances in a decade. The Heritage Foundation reports 19 convictions of non-citizens voting from 1982-2025.
FICTION
Non-citizen voting is widespread in Minnesota.
Get More Information About Minnesota’s Elections
Information provided above is courtesy of the League of Women Voters and the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office.