Voting, a daunting task for most first-time voters, especially those who do not live near home. Here’s how to learn if a voter may be qualified to vote and how to register.
Minnesota
To be qualified to register to vote in MN, voters must be a U.S. citizen who is at least 18 years old by or on Nov. 8, who also has lived at a Minnesota address by Oct. 19. Voters must also not be serving any part of a felony conviction, including any probation, parole or other conditions such as restitution and not currently be judged incompetent by a court.
In MN, new voters can register to vote online, by mail or in person.
To register to vote online, voters need an email address as well a valid MN driver’s license, MN identification card or the last four numbers of their social security number.
Voters then can visit Minnesota’s Secretary of State website and register to vote.
By mail, voters need to download and print the Minnesota voter registration application, or contact their county election office to have one sent to them.
Then, voters need to mail in their application to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office by Oct. 18 at 5 p.m.
To register to vote in person, voters can pick up an application at their county election office and fill out the form.
Then, voters need to return the form to their county election office or to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office by Oct. 18.
Voters may also turn in their application on Nov. 8 at their voting location but will need to provide a valid form of identification with their current Minnesota address shown.
North Dakota
Voters in North Dakota do not need to register to vote. Voters must meet all voting requirements and provide identification to vote on Nov. 8.
South Dakota
To qualify to register to vote in South Dakota, voters must be a U.S. citizen, live at a South Dakota address, be at least 18 years old on or before Nov. 8, not be serving any part of a sentence for a felony conviction and not be currently judged mentally incompetent by a court.
Voters in South Dakota may register to vote by mail or in person.
To register to vote by mail, voters must download and print the South Dakota state voter registration form and complete it. Then, voters must send it to their county auditor’s office by Oct. 24.
To register to vote in person, voters may pick up the registration form at their county auditor or municipal finance offices and complete it. Then voters must return the form to their county auditor’s office or to the government location where they acquired the form by Oct. 24.