Absentee Voting For November Election Begins Friday

While the election in November may seem a long time away, it's not too early to look at your calendar and plan ahead when it comes to voting. While Minnesota doesn't offer early voting, it does offer absentee voting.

Those who will be unable to vote on Election Day can vote anytime starting Friday until the day before the election.

There are four reasons to vote absentee:

1. If you will be absent on Election Day. [Think: that cruise you might be taking come November, or college students who go to school away from home.]

2. If you are ill or disabled.

3. If you are an election judge in another precinct.

4. If you will be observing a religious holiday.

To apply to vote absentee, you can print out an application from the Secretary of State website and turn it in at Richfield City Hall and Municipal Center.

Once turned in, you can vote that day in person or you can vote via USPS mail.

If you are not registered to vote yet and want to vote absentee your identification card or driver's license with a current name and address will be needed. If you've recently moved and your identification has your old address a current utility bill with current address will work.

Absentee voting at Richfield City Hall and Municipal Center can take place during normal business hours starting Friday, Sept. 21 until the end of business on Nov. 5, with special hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sat. Nov. 3.

For more information on elections and voting in Richfield, go to the City Clerk webpage on the City of Richfield website. The absentee ballot has been attached to this article as a PDF.

For more information on the candidates, issues and platforms for this year's election, see Richfield Patch's Election Guide.

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