Protecting the accuracy and integrity of Minnesota’s voter registration system
In Minnesota, voter registrations, whether completed online or on paper, are processed by local election officials and tracked through the Statewide Voter Registration System. The system is updated daily, and election officials use multiple sources of information to identify changes to voter records and help ensure registration information remains accurate.
Local election officials, like ours in Olmsted County, regularly check voter records using information from state and federal agencies. These checks help identify voters who have become ineligible, moved, died, or otherwise need an update to their registration record.
Regular checks help keep voter records accurate
Several sources of information are used to maintain voter registration records:
- Inactive voters: Each year, voters who have not voted or updated their registration in four years are removed from the voter registration rolls.
- Deaths: Deceased voters are removed when election officials receive notification from the Minnesota Department of Health or Social Security Administration.
- Felony convictions: Records of individuals convicted of felonies who are currently incarcerated are marked as “challenged” based on information from the court system or Department of Corrections. If someone attempts to vote with a challenge on their record, they must answer questions under oath before being allowed to vote. If someone attempts to register or vote when ineligible, the case is referred to a county attorney.
- Revoked voting rights: The court system notifies election officials when a court has specifically revoked an individual's voting rights under guardianship. If the individual is registered to vote, the record is challenged and the individual must answer questions under oath before being allowed to vote.
- Noncitizens: Driver and Vehicle Services provides information about noncitizens in Minnesota on temporary visas. If someone on that list is registered to vote, the registration is challenged. The individual must answer questions under oath before being allowed to vote, and the case is referred to a county attorney.
- Moves: Voter records can be updated using National Change of Address information from the U.S. Postal Service, Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services data, or information shared between state governments.
Together, these processes provide multiple ways for election officials to identify and address changes to voter registration records.
Automatic voter registration adds another layer of review
Minnesota's Automatic Voter Registration system began in April 2024. Under the law, eligible Minnesotans can be registered to vote, or have their voter registration updated, without having to proactively check a box when applying for or renewing a Minnesota driver's license or state identification card.
Before information is sent to the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office, the Department of Public Safety reviews citizenship-affirming documentation and verifies that the potential voter meets all other eligibility requirements to register in Minnesota.
Examples of citizenship-affirming documentation include birth certificates, passports, and certificates of naturalization.
Minnesotans who are automatically registered also have an opportunity to opt out. They can do so within 20 days after their registration is processed, and each prospective voter receives a mailing explaining how to opt out.
Election integrity starts with accurate records
Maintaining accurate voter registration records is an ongoing process. Daily updates to the Statewide Voter Registration System, combined with information from multiple sources, help local election officials identify records that may need to be updated or challenged.
This work is one part of Minnesota's broader election system and helps ensure voter registration records reflect current and eligible voters. To learn more about voting in Minnesota, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website.
Today, on National Voter Registration Day, voters are encouraged to make sure their registration information is current and accurate. An informed and engaged electorate starts with accurate voter registration records. For more information on voting in Olmsted County, visit olmstedcounty.gov/vote.