College student

College students should register to vote from the address they currently consider home. For many students, this is likely a school address or a parent's house. If you still go back home to visit but no longer consider it your home, you should register to vote where you live at school.

Criminal records

Having a criminal record does not affect your right to vote in Minnesota unless you are currently incarcerated for a felony conviction.

Fear for your personal safety

Your name and address are public when you register to vote. However, if you have safety or privacy concerns, there are ways to register and vote without making your information public. Learn more.

If you have extreme safety needs, the Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program can help.

Homeless

If you are experiencing homelessness, you can register to vote using the location where you sleep as your address. You may need to go to the polling place with someone who can confirm where you are living. Learn more.

Home in foreclosure

If your home is in foreclosure, you can use it as your voting residence as long as you still live there. If you move from the property and do not intend to return, you can no longer vote from that address.

Home was destroyed

If you are displaced by a fire, flood or natural disaster, where you vote depends on whether you intend to return to the home once it is made habitable again.

In the military or living abroad

If you are currently serving in the military or are a citizen living abroad temporarily or indefinitely, you can have an absentee ballot sent to you wherever you are. Your ballot application also serves as a voter registration application. You can apply for an absentee ballot online any time during the year. You are encouraged to apply for your ballot as soon as you are able to so you have enough time to return it by Election Day. All questions regarding this should be directed to Hennepin County elections by contacting them via email at hc.vote@hennepin.us or by phone at 612.348.5151. 

City staff cannot assist with absentee ballots for military or overseas voters.

In a nursing home or hospital

If you are temporarily staying in a nursing home or hospital, you may be eligible to have someone pick up and deliver a ballot to you. This is called agent delivery. Registration materials will be provided with your ballot, if necessary. You must apply for an absentee ballot from the city where you maintain residence, not necessarily the city where the nursing home or hospital is located.

In a resident facility

If you live in a residential facility (nursing home, assisted-living facility, etc.) and need to register to vote, a staff person can go with you to the polling place to confirm your address. You can also vote by absentee ballot or agent delivery, and registration materials will be provided with your ballot, if necessary.

Living temporarily in Minnesota

You cannot vote in Minnesota if you are living here temporarily. However, you can still vote in your home state's election with an absentee ballot.

Moving on or close to Election Day

If you are moving between states near Election Day, you will need to check how many days you need to reside in your new state before you can vote there. To vote in Minnesota, you must live in the state for at least 20 days before Election Day.

If you are moving within the state near Election Day, you must register to vote from the address you currently consider home.