State, county and local roles

Local election officials manage elections with support from the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State.

Office of the Secretary of State’s key roles

• Certify election equipment.
• Administer the Statewide Voter Registration System.
• Provide technical assistance to local election officials.
• Monitor compliance of state election laws.

County’s key roles

• Process voter registration applications.
• Ballot layout and printing.
• Apply or remove challenges to voter records.
• Purchase and maintain supplies and election equipment, including accessible voting equipment.
• Program and test all voting equipment.
• Issue absentee ballots.
• Forward election violations to law enforcement for investigation.
• Train and certify city, township and school district local election officials.
• Compile election results and transmit to the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State website.
• Conduct post-election audits.

City, town and school district key roles

• Set precinct boundaries and secure polling locations.
• Hire election judges and assign to precincts.
• Train and certify election judges, if delegated by county.
• Administer health care facility absentee voting.
• Administer absentee balloting, if delegated by county.