Direct balloting for November 8 general election begins November 1

  • News
  • Oct 31, 2022
A ballot being placed into a ballot box. Your Vote Olmsted County/Rochester logo in the upper right corner.

The absentee direct balloting period for the November 8, 2022 general election begins November 1, 2022, and will continue through November 7, 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.

Vote in-person direct balloting
Absentee in-person direct balloting takes place November 1 through November 7, 2022, at the Olmsted County Elections Office at 2122 Campus Dr. SE, Suite 300 in Rochester, and at the Olmsted County Government Center at 151 4th Street SE in Rochester. Parking will be available in the Government Center parking lot at any of the metered spots that are covered and labeled as “free voter parking.”

  • November 1 through November 4
    • 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • November 5
    • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • November 7
    • 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Covered parking meter outside Rochester City Hall that says, "Free voter parking."

Example of free voter parking space outside Rochester City Hall.

Reminder: If you are mailing or returning an absentee ballot to the Olmsted County Elections Office or Government Center, please ensure a witness has signed the signature envelope. The witness can be a registered Minnesota voter or a notary. A witness must also list their address. Notaries should write their name and title, sign the signature envelope, and affix their notary stamp.

Register to vote
The 21-day period to register online or by mail for the November 8 general election has passed. If you are not registered to vote, you can register when you vote absentee or at your designated polling location on Election Day. Information on what you need to bring can be found on the Minnesota Secretary of State website. Voters must be at least 18 years old on Election Day.

Sample ballot and candidate information
Voters can download their sample ballot on the Minnesota Secretary of State website. Candidates and questions appearing on the ballot will be listed.

Election Day in-person voting on November 8, 2022
You can find your polling location on the Minnesota Secretary of State website. Some helpful Election Day tips are available on the website if you are a new voter. You can also use the Election District Finder tool to determine your election district, who represents you, and candidate information.

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:

Election videos
Olmsted County has videos available regarding election security and voting absentee. Check them out and learn more about how voting works in our county!