Why does Minnesota have such high voter turnout?

Whether they're red, blue, or somewhere in the middle, Minnesotans are showing their true colors with soaring early voting numbers.

Nearly 420,000 voters have already cast a ballot in-person or by mail during the first five weeks of early voting. That's a big jump from this point four years ago when about 282,000 had voted early during the same period.

Over the past five general elections, Minnesota ranked No. 1 in the country three times for voter turnout: 2020, 2018 and 2016. The state finished second in 2024 and third overall in 2022.

"I think if I had to boil it down, it really comes down to two main things," said Steve Simon, Minnesota's secretary of state. "One is really good laws, and the other is a really healthy, pro-voter culture."

One law that stands out was adopted in 1974: Same-day day voter registration. Unlike several other states, voters don't have to register before an election.

"In most states to this day in 2026, that is their rule. Sometimes it's four weeks, sometimes it's five weeks before the election. And if you don't register by that cutoff date, you can't be involved in the election," Simon said.

In the 2024 presidential election there were 296,287 people who registered on the day they voted, about 9% of all ballots cast.

As for culture, Simon believes Minnesotans truly value making their voices heard at the polls. He praised schools for instilling the importance of voting on students to make change in their communities, as well as nonprofits and businesses that highlight key races that impact the people they serve. 

"And I think we have a very healthy media culture in the state around elections. We are known for thorough, deep, consistent coverage of elections. Substantively, not just the horse race, and I think that has served us really well in Minnesota, too," Simon said.

Then there's of course early voting which has become more accessible in recent years, especially in-person. This year, Minneapolis opened 12 pop-up locations ahead of the midterms.

"I think what's happened, particularly since COVID, is people have discovered ways of voting that fit their lives and fit their schedules a little bit better," Simon said. "And I think we're past the point when people want to be told that they can only vote on one given day, in one given place during a particular set of hours."

Given the high numbers of early voting this year, we're curious if that means turnout overall will be up come Election Day. Simon said it's too early to tell.

"It could just mean that people who have already traditionally voted are just changing the means or the methods by which they're voting. So, they already would have been voters. They're just front loading it rather than back loading it," he said.

That was the case in 2020 when 58% percent of voters voted before Election Day in Minnesota, according to Simon.

The deadline to register to vote before the election has passed. Voters who still need to register must do so when they cast their ballot. Click here to see more historical data on voting patterns in Minnesota.

WCCO has an election guide that helps you meet candidates for office, check your registration and find your polling place.