There are plenty of options for early voting in Olmsted County.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - Local residents can now visit polling centers for direct balloting as of Tuesday morning.
While early absentee voting has been an option for Olmsted County since September 23, direct balloting is officially open at both Rochester polling stations.
These two locations accepting in person ballots are located at the elections office on Campus Drive and inside the government center downtown.
Early absentee voting was widely popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 50% of the 2020 votes having been cast prior to the official election date.
However, election officials expect these numbers to lower to a more "normal" level this year, or one that is similar to what the county saw four years ago. "Absentee voting is looking pretty close to 2018," said Luke Turner, Olmsted County elections manager. "I'm not sure if we'll pass those numbers or not quite yet, but around 15,000 to 18,000, if that's being optimistic." While early voting has become a mainstay for many community members, the highest number of votes is still yet to come. "Election day will have most of the vote itself," Turner said. "Probably 80% of the vote will come on election day." To learn more about registration and where to vote, visit the Olmsted County website. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. source