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Minneapolis election office previews 2026 voting plans: early voting begins June 26, two satellites and 11 pop-ups planned for general election
Summary
City elections staff told the Committee of the Whole that early voting and mail-ballot activity for the 2026 cycle begins June 26, the state primary is Aug. 11 and the general election is Nov. 3; the city will operate a main early-vote center, two satellite centers and about 11 pop-up sites for the general election and is prioritizing multilingual outreach.
Minneapolis elections staff presented an initial plan for the 2026 election cycle to the Committee of the Whole on May 5, describing changes and outreach efforts for the primary and general elections.
Director of Elections Katie Smith said the first day to cast a ballot for the primary cycle and to receive the first round of mail ballots is June 26. The state primary is scheduled for Aug. 11 and the general election for Nov. 3. Smith and Deputy Director Jon Martin said the main early vote center will be the elections office at 980 E. Hennepin Ave.; the city plans two satellite sites for the general election (including a North Minneapolis satellite at Urban League Twin Cities and Bethel Lutheran Church) and roughly 11 pop-up early-vote sites targeted at underserviced neighborhoods.
Staff described procedural changes coming from the 2023 state law that further folded early-voting options into local administration; Smith said that for voters the early-voting experience will be familiar but that some administrative processes around applications and the use of certain devices during early voting are changing.
The elections division emphasized multi-lingual outreach (English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali), curbside voting, express voting devices for assistance, and targeted engagement including tabling at community events such as Juneteenth and Open Streets. The office is planning a mailed citywide voter guide, postal verification to affected households after any polling-place moves, and partnerships with the Minneapolis Special School District to run the school district's elections.
Deputy Director Jon Martin said pop-up early-vote sites are planned only for the general election this year; for the primary, early voting will be concentrated at the main office and downtown locations. The office said it will communicate polling-place changes by mail and local outreach and that judges and volunteer election workers are still needed.
Smith encouraged residents to check vote.minneapolis.mn for details and said staff will post dates and site details as arrangements are finalized.
