Any individual or organization can help register the public to vote.
Voter registration reference guide
The Voter Registration Reference Guide covers common questions you may have and contains best practices. For additional assistance, contact the Elections Division at (651) 215-1440 or elections.dept@state.mn.us.
Assisting voters
You can help voters fill out a form and, with the voter’s permission, mail or drop off the form on their behalf. You can help a voter submit an online application, as long as it is done with the voter’s consent and in their presence. Make sure the voter understands the eligibility requirements for voting before signing.
Make a plan to vote
Studies show when voters make a plan to vote (when, where, and how) they are more likely to vote. Download and print this Make a Plan to Vote form to help voters make their plan.
Paper applications
Download and print voter registration applications, or request a reasonable number of applications from your county election office.
Deadlines for returning paper applications
Applications that third parties collect must be received by the Office of the Secretary of State or by the voter’s county election office within 10 days of when the voter signed and dated the application. To pre-register for an election, the application must be received at least three weeks before Election Day.
Offering incentives is prohibited
It is illegal to give a voter money or something of value in exchange for registering to vote in a federal election (42 USC 1973i (c)). Items of value that are distributed during voter registration activities, such as buttons or food, must be made available to any individual, regardless of whether they register to vote or not.
Compensation for collecting applications
You can compensate workers for registering voters. However, you cannot compensate by a fixed payment rate per application, or compensate more (or less) for getting a set number or quota of applications. Breaking this law is a petty misdemeanor.
State agency and nonprofit voter registration requirements
State agencies and nonprofits that have contracts with the State of Minnesota must provide voter registration to the public (Minnesota Statutes 201.162). Appropriate employees must be assigned to provide nonpartisan voter registration help, including asking the public if they want to register.