ISD 196 School Board Race: How To Vote Early

DAKOTA COUNTY, MN — As of last Friday, voters in Dakota County can cast their ballots for the Nov. 2 municipal election.

Residents of Independent School District 196, which encompasses Eagan, Apple Valley and Rosemount, will be able to vote for school board members.

Patch candidate profiles

Patch has asked candidates running for office this fall to answer questions about their campaigns. We will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

• Patch Candidate Profile: Craig Angrimson For ISD 196 School Board
• Patch Candidate Profile:Loren Jay Balazs For ISD 196 School Board
• Patch Candidate Profile:Sakawdin Mohamed For ISD 196 School Board
• Patch Candidate Profile: Kyle Anderson For ISD 196 School Board
• Patch Candidate Profile: Curtis Henry For ISD 196 School Board
• Patch Candidate Profile: Bianca Virnig For ISD 196 School Board

Key dates to know for early voting

• Early voting period: Sept. 17 — Nov. 1
• Early registration deadline: Tuesday, Oct. 12
• Suggested deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot: Tuesday, Oct. 19
• Find information on voting absentee here
• Election Day, deadline to return mail-in ballot: Tuesday, Nov. 2.
  • Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m
• Early in person voting: Oct. 26-Nov. 1

Register to vote online
Minnesota has same-day voter registration, which means you can register to vote at your polling place on Election Day. However, if you want to vote early by mail, election officials suggest registering as soon as possible online.

Check or update your voter registration on the Secretary of State website.

Vote early in-person
Residents who want to vote early in-person can do so at the district office, located at 3455 153rd Street West in Rosemount, or the County Administration Center on Highway 55 in Hastings. Early voting in person begins Oct. 26 from 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. with extended hours until 5 p.m. on Nov. 1.

Vote early by mail

• If you haven't requested your mail-in ballot yet but plan to vote by mail, you can do so here.
  • You can check the status of your ballot — from the time you request it all the way until it's counted — on the Minnesota Secretary of State website.
• Mail-in ballots will not count if they are received after Election Day and should be mailed about a month beforehand.
• You can mail your ballot to "Administration Center Attn: Elections 1590 Highway 55, Hastings, MN 55033-2343" or email the scanned document to elections@co.dakota.mn.us
• You can drop off your mail-in ballot in the week leading up to the election at the school district office at 3455 153rd Street West, Rosemount, MN:
  • Tuesday, Oct. 26–Friday, Oct. 29 from 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
  • Monday, Nov. 1 from 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
• You may also drop off your mail-in ballot at Dakota County's Administration Center in Hastings or the Western Service Center at 14955 Galaxie Avenue in Apple Valley.

Agent delivery

• In special situations, the following residents may have somebody deliver their ballot for them:
  • Live in a nursing home, assisted living facility, residential treatment center, women's shelter or group home
  • Be hospitalized
  • Be unable to go to the polling place due to incapacitating health reasons or disability
• The person must be at least 18 years old, have a personal relationship to you and cannot be a candidate on the ballot.

See what's on your ballot ahead of time
Minnesotans can view a sample ballot by using the state's "What's on my ballot?" tool.

William Bornhoft contributed to this report.