The Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office has started its “Vote from Home” program, encouraging eligible voters to vote absentee to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep communities healthy.

The Secretary of State is also asking for Minnesotans to step up and become poll workers to assist older citizens to avoid COVID-19 exposure. It takes 30,000 poll workers (election judges) to put on an election in Minnesota. Despite encouraging the Vote from Home initiative, some voters need or want to vote at the polls on Election Day.

In 2016 and 2018, Minnesota was No. 1 in the country in the percentage of voter turnout.

The key dates the Secretary of State wants voters to be aware of include June 26 (the beginning of early voting with absentee ballots for the primary election), Aug. 11 (Primary Election), Sept. 19 (the beginning of early voting with absentee ballots for the general election), Sept. 22 (National Voter Registration Day) and Nov. 3 (General Election).