SAINT PAUL – Today, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon announced the largest expansion of translated materials for voters in Minnesota since 2016. For the first time, eligible Minnesota voters can use online interactive tools in 11 languages to register to vote, check their registration, request an absentee ballot, and track their absentee or mail ballot. Each interactive tool is available in English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, Lao, Oromo, Khmer, and Amharic.
In addition, the Absentee Ballot Application for Minnesota Military and Overseas Voters is also now available online in all 11 languages – which will directly benefit service members, diplomats, students, business professionals, and others living overseas.
“Minnesotans lead the nation in voter registration and participation, in part because of our consistent work to expand access to the ballot,” said Secretary Simon. "This expansion of our well-known online tools to serve voters is a continuation of our longstanding commitment to the people of Minnesota to ensure no eligible voters are left out of our democracy.”
“As the son of an immigrant, these expanded translations are deeply personal for me,” Secretary Simon continued. “My mother, who lived in the U.S. for decades and spoke fluent English, always preferred legal and technical documents in her native language. I know her experience is not unique, which is why I am so proud to have these online tools available to eligible voters in Minnesota ahead of the 2024 statewide elections.”
This announcement furthers the office’s commitment to providing translated materials to Minnesotans. Minnesota first began providing election instruction materials in other languages in 1896 and has provided translated printed materials since. In 2016, Secretary Simon announced the largest collection of foreign language voter resources ever made available by the Secretary of State’s Office, which included ten foreign language pages on the office’s website. In 2020, videos were added to the web pages to provide information about who can vote, how they can vote, and where they can vote. This latest expansion provides for multilingual use of interactive online tools.
(View webpages: Spanish/Español, Hmong/Hmoob, Somali/Soomaali, Vietnamese/Tiếng Việt, Russian/Pусский, Chinese/中文, Lao/ພາສາລາວ, Oromo/Afaan Oromo, Khmer/ខ្មែរ, Amharic/አማርኛ).
“As election season quickly approaches, new Americans will be thrilled to know that online voter tools are now translated,” said Mary Niedermeyer, Chief Executive Officer of CAPI, an organization that supports immigrants in Minnesota. “One of the most significant barriers to voting is language access. Understanding how to vote, where to vote, and why your vote matters, when not in someone's native tongue, can be difficult. As a direct service organization serving individuals who speak many different languages, we are excited to have greater access to these online resources supporting our voter engagement efforts this year—ensuring that all of our communities can have their voices heard and represented.”
"Our community is enthusiastic about a transformation in the suite of tools used to engage Spanish-speaking voters,” said Ryan Perez, Organizing Director for COPAL, an organization that aims to improve the lives of Latino families living in Minnesota. “Online voter registration, in particular, will have a huge impact on accessibility to the ballot. We are grateful for our partners at the Secretary of State's Office and all those working to expand democracy for the people of Minnesota."
To be eligible to vote in Minnesota, a person must be a U.S. Citizen, a resident of Minnesota for at least 20 days, at least 18 years old on Election Day, not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction, and not under a court order that revokes their right to vote. Learn more about who can vote in Minnesota.
About the online interactive voter tools now available in Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, Oromo, Lao, Khmer, and Amharic:
Online Voter Registration: Eligible Minnesotans can register to vote or update their registration online. An email address and a valid Minnesota driver’s license, Minnesota identification card number, or the last four digits of a voter's social security number will be needed to complete the form.
Voter Registration Status Check: Minnesotans can use this tool to quickly find out if they are registered to vote by entering their name, date of birth, and address.
Absentee Ballot Request: Using this tool, registered voters in Minnesota can request a ballot in federal, state, and county elections. An email address and a valid Minnesota driver’s license, Minnesota identification card number, or the last four digits of the requester’s social security number will be needed to complete the form.
Ballot Tracker: Using this search tool, Minnesotans can find out where their absentee or mail ballot is in the process.
Absentee Ballot Application for Minnesota Military and Overseas Voters: Using this tool, service members, diplomats, students, business professionals, and other eligible Minnesota voters who are living overseas can request their ballot. An email address and a valid Minnesota driver’s license, Minnesota identification card, or the last four digits of the requester’s social security number will be needed to complete the form.