Direct balloting and candidate filing for Olmsted County and Rochester begins today

  • News
  • May 17, 2022
Your Vote - Olmsted County-Rochester

The direct balloting period for the May 24, 2022 special primary election begins Tuesday, May 17, 2022, and will continue through May 23, 2022, the last day of early absentee voting. Direct balloting allows in-person voters to insert their ballots directly into a ballot tabulator at the absentee voting location. Voters also have the option to place their absentee ballot into an envelope to be processed and tabulated later during the direct balloting period.

The winners of the special primary election will go on to compete in the August 9, 2022 special election to fill the vacancy for U.S. Representative for Congressional District 1. Twenty candidates filed for this office with the Minnesota Secretary of State.

Absentee in-person direct balloting location
Olmsted County Elections Office
2122 Campus Drive SE
Rochester, MN, 55904

  • Tuesday, May 17 – Friday, May 20: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 21: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  • Monday, May 23: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., the last day of early absentee voting

As a reminder, the special primary election is being held on May 24, 2022. Early absentee voting began on April 8, 2022. 

Sample ballot
Sample ballots are an excellent resource for preparing to vote, whether early or on Election Day. Voters can download their sample ballot via the Secretary of State's Office website.

Getting results
Since 2010, all absentee ballots are processed and counted centrally at Olmsted County election offices. Election results at the polling place will be the vote totals for in-person voters who went to the polls on Election Day.

The vote totals of the in-person polling place voters and the vote totals of the absentee voters will be merged into one unofficial vote total for the precinct before being posted to election websites. To access results, visit the Secretary of State’s website: www.mnvotes.org. That site will be updated regularly until all results have come in. There will also be a link from the county and city’s websites to the results available through the Secretary of State: www.rochestermn.gov/vote or  www.olmstedcounty.gov/vote. As a reminder, election results are never final until canvassing is completed.

Please note
Absentee ballots must be dropped off to the Olmsted County Elections Office by 3 p.m. on May 24. Mailed ballots must be received by the Olmsted County Elections Office by 8 p.m. on May 24.

Candidate filing information
Are you interested in running for elected office? Filing is now open for the following seats in Olmsted County and the City of Rochester:

Olmsted County

  • Board of Commissioners, District 1
  • Board of Commissioners, District 2
  • Board of Commissioners, District 3
  • Board of Commissioners, District 4
  • Board of Commissioners, District 5
  • Board of Commissioners, District 6
  • County Attorney
  • Sheriff
  • Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, District 1
  • Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, District 2
  • Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, District 3

City of Rochester

  • City Council, Ward 1
  • City Council, Ward 3
  • City Council, Ward 5
  • Mayor

Olmsted County and City of Rochester residents interested in running for city and county offices have until Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at 5 p.m. to submit their affidavit of candidacy to the filing officer.

Learn more about the application process, fees, and guidelines by visiting the Olmsted County and City of Rochester elections websites.

More information
For the latest election updates and further details about voting in Olmsted County and the City of Rochester, Minnesota, including links to online tools, visit the following sites:

For more information on election security in Olmsted County, please watch this video.