HEY MINNESOTANS! IT’S 2020 AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS—IT’S TIME TO VOTE.

This year, for the first time in a looong time, Minnesota will be hosting both state election caucuses and presidential primaries. If you’re unsure what that means, how you can be involved, or just want a quick refresher, you’ve come to the right place.

FIRST, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

A caucus is a process during which a group of people gets together to discuss the issues and people on the ballot for their party in their region. Think of it like a block party, but you’re discussing candidates and platforms instead of barbecue and property lines. They take longer, but in the end, candidates are assigned delegates to represent them at the next stage of the process based on the amount of support they have. In Minnesota, our caucuses will be on February 25, 2020, and even though our presidential election won’t be represented, this is still an opportunity to have your personal values and views heard and represented at the local level.

Want to find your precinct caucus location? Click here.

Interested in learning more about the caucus process? Click here.

A primary, on the other hand, is when voters use a secret ballot to select a candidate. Primaries can be open or closed. Open primaries are when voters can candidates from all parties on one ballot. Closed primaries are when voters must select a ballot affiliated with a specific party, and can only vote for a candidate in that party. Minnesota is having a closed primary, so you’ll have to choose between a Democrat or Republican ballot. Our presidential primary voting will take place on March 3, 2020. (This date is also known as “Super Tuesday,” because so many states hold their primary elections then.)

Want to learn more about primaries? Click here.

WAIT—HAVE WE DONE PRIMARIES IN MINNESOTA BEFORE?

Kind of. This year is the first time that we’ve had a presidential primary. After the 2016 election, then-Governor Mark Dayton changed our process so we would have presidential nomination primaries. The hope is that the primary process for presidential elections will be more accessible, and get more people to the polls before the election. Other state elections will remain caucuses, so you can participate in both this year!

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?

Show up!

If you want to be involved in the presidential primary, you’re in luck—early voting in Minnesota is already happening and will go until March 2nd (the day before the presidential primary). Fun fact: Minnesota was the first state in the country to begin voting in the presidential primaries. 

If you’re not registered to vote, it’s not too late. If you: are going to be 18 before Election Day, are a U.S. citizen, have lived in Minnesota for 20 days, you’re eligible to vote. Register here before February 11! And if you’re reading this after February 11, it’s not too late—you can same-day register at the polls on March 3.

If you are registered, find your polling place and pick your ballot. As we mentioned, only Democrat or Republican ballots will be available, so you’ll have to make that decision in advance. Then, the exciting part: pick your candidate!

There are sixteen candidates on the Democratic ballot, so make sure to do your research and be prepared to make voting as enjoyable a process as possible.

Want more information on voter registration? Check out our guide here.