Election Shtuff

This is just a brief note to remind you that Minnesota doesn't have provisional ballots because it offers "same-day" voter registration at the polls. This means that even if you aren't registered, you can still vote on Election Day by showing up with ID.

Minnesota makes it easy. Any of the following identification is accepted:

• Valid Minnesota driver's license, learner's permit, or Minnesota identification card, or receipt for any of these documents, with your current address
• Student ID, Registration or Fee statement, with student's name and current address
• Photo student ID for students who live on campus (if their college has provided the county with a certified list of students)
• 'Notice of Late Registration' postcard from your County Auditor or City Clerk
• Original utilities bill along with a photo ID (including military ID, U.S. passport, student ID, or MN drivers license or MN ID with your previous address). Utilities bill can be gas, electric, phone, cable, solid waste, water or sewer, and must have voter's name and current address, and must be dated within 30 days of Election Day
• A Bureau of Indian Affairs tribal ID with your current address on it, if you are a tribal band member who lives on a reservation
• Someone who will vouch for you. For more details, see below.

By law, the poll workers must accept any of these as your ID, and let you register, and vote.

That's all you need to bring, to register and vote "same-day" at your polling place. To find your correct polling place, see www.mypollingplace.com.

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How to have someone vouch for you:

1. You can register on election day without the necessary ID by having a registered voter who lives in your precinct vouch for you.
2. Someone can vouch for you even if they register on election day, as long as they showed ID when they registered. A person who is vouched for on election day cannot vouch for someone else.
3. They will have to sign an oath stating that you have resided in Minnesota for at least 20 days and that you live in the precinct.
4. There is no limit to the number of people for whom a person can vouch.

Information you don't need:

The voter registration application asks you to provide your Minnesota drivers license number, your Minnesota ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security Number. If you are registering without using these documents (having someone vouch for you, or providing a passport with a utility bill, for example) and you can't remember these numbers, the election judge must still accept your registration and allow you to vote. The county auditor may follow up with you later to get the missing information.

If your right to vote is challenged, but you are eligible, they cannot stop you from voting. You may be asked questions about your eligibility, but as long as you answer the questions truthfully and give answers that indicate that you are eligible, they have to give you an oath to swear that you are eligible and allow you to vote -- even if they aren't convinced that you're telling the truth.

If you have questions about your voting rights, or if you wish to report a voting irregularity, please call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683).

For more information about voting generally, or specific information on how ex-felons, homeless individuals, students or survivors of domestic violence can register, go to the MAPA website: http://www.mapa-mn.org.

To find out where you vote, and to see a copy of the ballot you'll be given on election day, go to http://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us.