Early absentee voting for May 24 special primary election begins April 8

A special election to fill the vacancy for U.S. Representative for Congressional District 1 takes place Tuesday, August 9, 2022. Congressional District 1 represents Olmsted County and much of southern Minnesota. 20 candidates filed for this office with the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. 

To determine which candidate will represent their respective political party for the August 9 special election, a special primary election will take place Tuesday, May 24, 2022.

Early absentee voting for the special primary election begins April 8, 2022, both by mail and in person.

In person early absentee voting 
From April 8 through May 23, early absentee voting will be offered Monday through Friday at the new Olmsted County Elections Office at 2122 Campus Drive SE in Rochester from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Early absentee voting by mail
If you’d like to complete early absentee voting by mail, request a mail ballot by applying online via the Secretary of State’s Office website or contacting Olmsted County Elections at 507-328-7650. Ballots will be mailed beginning April 8, 2022. 

The Olmsted County Elections Office will send ballots daily as it receives requests. 

Sample ballot and candidate information
Sample ballots are an excellent resource for preparing to vote. Voters can download their sample ballot via the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State website. A list of all candidates appearing on the ballot can be found, as well as a full example of the ballots that will be in a voter’s assigned precinct based on their home address.

Please note
The special primary election and special election will use the current map of Minnesota’s Congressional Districts. The winner of the special election will hold the position for the remainder of the two-year term, and would need to run in the November 8, 2022 General Election using the redrawn map if they would like to run for re-election.

Become an election assistant!
You have an opportunity to help with the election process by becoming an election assistant. The position is paid, and job responsibilities include providing customer support to voters, answering phone calls, assisting with election judge training, and monitoring supplies. More information and an online application can be found on the Olmsted County website.

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: 
•    Olmsted County: www.olmstedcounty.gov/vote
•    City of Rochester: www.rochestermn.gov/vote 
•    Minnesota Secretary of State: www.mnvotes.org