Register to Vote

Eligible voters should note that the deadline for pre-registering for the August 14th Primary Election is Tuesday, July 24th, 2012. Voter registration applications are available at the Rice County Auditor-Treasurer's Office in Faribault and at the City Hall in Northfield. The Secretary of State's website (www.sos.state.mn.us) or the Rice County website (www.co.rice.mn.us) also has voter registration applications available for printing. You may print a copy of the card, complete it and mail it to the Rice County Auditor-Treasurer's Office at 320 3rd Street N.W. - Suite 5, Faribault, MN 55021. Please note that being pre-registered will expedite voting on Election Day.

If you fail to pre-register before the July 24th deadline, you may also register to vote at the polls on Election Day. You must provide proof of residence to register on Election Day. Following are the acceptable forms of proof for registering to vote:

• Valid Minnesota Driver's License or Learner's Permit or receipt for either that has a current name and address in that precinct, or
• Valid Minnesota Identification Card (issued instead of a driver's license by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety) or receipt that has your current name & address in that precinct, or
• A current valid student ID, provided the student appears on a post secondary education housing list
• Prior registration in the same precinct with your former name or address shown on the roster, or
• "Notice of Late Registration" mailed to you by your county auditor, or
• Tribal Identification Card if the card bears your current name, current address, signature and picture issued by the tribal government of a tribe recognized by Bureau of Indian Affairs, or
• An expired photo identification (from above) plus a current utility bill
--The utility bill must be due within 30 days of the election

*Acceptable utility bills include telephone, television, or internet service provider, regardless of how the service is delivered, such as cable or satellite TV; landline, cell or VOIP telephones, etc., electric, gas, water, garbage or sewer, and solid waste

*Bill must have the voter's name and current address in the precinct
--Student fee statement containing your current address in the precinct, or
--Rent statement dated within 30 days of the election that itemizes utilities and contains your name and current address in the precinct

If a voter does not have an authorized proof of identity, the voter can still vote by having someone who is registered in the same precinct 'vouch" for his or her residence.

To be eligible to vote in Minnesota a person must be:
• 18 years of age or older on the day of the election
• A citizen of the United States
• A resident of Minnesota for at least 20 days immediately preceding the election

A person may not register if they have been convicted of a felony and their felony sentence has not expired (been completed) and their civil rights have not been restored, or if they are under a court-ordered guardianship in which the court order revokes their right to vote.

If you are unsure whether you are already registered, you may check your voter registration status through the following website: https://mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/VoterStatus.aspx

Contacts:
Fran Windschitl, Auditor/Treasurer, (507) 332-6122
Gary Weiers, County Administrator, (507) 332-6121