Welcome to our new website!

Welcome! We hope you find our new website helpful and easier to navigate. It's now as easy to use on your smartphone as your desktop. Take a tour and please tell us what you think.

Cast your ballot when and where it works for you.

Step 3: Voting

When you are ready to vote, you have choices. Decide when and how you will vote before Election Day arrives.

You have three choices to cast your ballot for each election event:

  1. By mail, beginning 46 days before each election.
  2. Early in-person, beginning 46 days before each election at Olmsted County Elections at 2122 Campus Dr SE, and starting 7 days before the election, also at the Government Center downtown at 201 4th St SE, Conference Room 104.
  3. On Election Day at your assigned polling place.

Think about which option works best for you, and make a plan to vote now. This will ensure you have plenty of time to request a mail ballot or to make any necessary arrangements to get to an in-person early voting location or your polling place at a time that will work for you.

Requesting a Mail Ballot 

To vote by mail, simply submit an application for an absentee ballot, and one will be mailed to you with a return envelope, including return postage.

Request an absentee ballot online through the Office of the Secretary of State. You can also pick up an official absentee ballot application from the Olmsted County elections office at 2122 Campus Drive SE, Suite 300.

Return Ballot Requests to Olmsted County

You may send your ballot by mail or drop it off in person at the absentee voting office (2122 Campus Dr. SE, Suite 300, Rochester, MN 55904) or at the Government Center (151 4th Street SE, Rochester, MN 55904).

Follow the status of your absentee ballot

Use the Absentee Ballot Lookup to track your ballot. You can see when:

  • your request has been received,
  • a ballot is mailed to you,
  • your ballot has been returned and accepted, and
  • when your ballot is tabulated.

Deadline for returning absentee ballots on Election Day

Remember to request your absentee ballot at least 14 days before Election Day to allow yourself time to complete the absentee voting process.

  • Absentee ballots returned by the United States Postal Service (USPS) must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received from the postal service by the Olmsted County elections office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
  • Absentee ballots returned to the Olmsted County Elections office by the voter or by another person authorized by the voter to act on the voter's behalf (see Agent Delivery information) must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day. A monitored drop box is available at the Elections office, located at 2122 Campus Dr SE, Suite 300. 
  • Absentee ballots returned by a commercial package delivery service (FedEx, UPS, etc.) must be received by the Olmsted County elections office by 8 p.m. Election Day.
  • On Election Day, voters who have not yet returned a requested absentee ballot may choose to go to the polls to vote, but CANNOT deliver an absentee ballot to a polling place.

All Rochester voters can vote at an Olmsted County Early Absentee Voting location during normal business hours beginning 46 days ahead of Election Day. As Election Day draws closer, additional locations and limited weekend hours will be available to make it easier to cast an early in-person ballot.

In-Person Early Absentee Voting Location

Olmsted County Elections

2122 Campus Dr SE, Suite 300, Rochester, MN 55904

Direct Balloting Pop-Up Locations

In the final days before the general election, direct balloting begins.

Direct Balloting means voters can insert their ballots directly into a ballot tabulator, rather than sealing them in an envelope for processing and tabulation later.

Absentee In-Person Direct Balloting

County Elections Office starts 18 days before the election: 2122 Campus Drive SE, Suite 300, Rochester, MN 55904 

  • General Election

City Hall Absentee In-Person Direct Balloting 7 days before the election: 201 4th St SE, Conference Room 104, Rochester, MN 55904 (Door E Entrance - Bagged meters for voter parking)

  • General Election

On Election Day, you must vote at your assigned polling place based on the precinct where you live. All polling places are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Tips for using the Polling Place Finder

Enter your Zip Code – the zip code option narrows the list of streets more than selecting Olmsted County.

  1. Enter a 5-digit ZIP code and click Go.
  2. Enter your residential house number. Don't press Enter or click Go until you select your street!
  3. Select the street name from the drop-down and click Go.
  4. View Polling Place information, including:
    • Ward and Precinct number
    • Name and address of polling place
    • Map options of polling place location
    • Districts for your precinct, including maps of those precincts
    • Sample Ballot for the precinct when available

If you have a question about this Polling Place Finder, contact the City Clerk's Office.

Contact Us

City of Rochester

201 4th Street SE
Rochester, MN 55904

PHONE: 507-328-2311
FAX: 507-328-2901

View Contact Information by Department

Connect with City Services

Whether you have a question, need to report a concern or aren’t sure which department to contact, 311 connects you with the right team quickly and efficiently.

Visit the 311 Portal