Voter Registration Information

You are eligible to register and vote in Carver County if you are:

• At least 18 years old on the day of the election
• A citizen of the United States
• A resident of Minnesota for at least 20 days before the election
• Maintain residence at the address given on the registration form

You are not eligible to vote if you have been:

• Placed under guardianship "of the person" in district court in which the court order revokes your right to vote
• Found by a court to be legally incompetent to vote
• Convicted of a felony without your felony sentence being expired  (completed) or not having been discharged from sentence

If you are currently registered to vote, you do not need to register again unless you have:

• Moved to a different address
• Changed your name
• Not voted at least once within the last four years

Pre-Registration

Pre-registration closes 21 days before each election.  You may register to vote by mail or in person at one of the following locations:

• Carver County Government Center, Taxpayer Services Department, 600 E 4th St., Chaska
• All county libraries
• The Secretary of State's office
• The Carver County License Center

You may also register to vote when you apply for or renew your driver's license.

To print a copy of a voter registration application click on the link below - after completion please mail it to:

Taxpayer Services Department
Government Center, Administration Building
600 East 4th Street
Chaska, MN 55318-2102

Voter Registration Application*

Call the Taxpayer Services Department at 952-361-1910 if you have any questions on your eligibility to vote in Minnesota.

Absentee Voting

You may vote by absentee ballot only if:

• You are going to be absent from the precinct on election day
• Illness or disability prevents your going to the polling place
• Religious discipline or observance prohibits your attendance at the polling place
• You are an election judge in another precinct
• Eligible emergency declared by the governor or quarantine declared by federal or state government

Carver County encourages legitimate use of the absentee ballot. Misuse of the absentee ballot  process causes increased election costs and unpredictability of the need for special forms. In addition, each absentee ballot must be handled manually, which results in increased handling costs and delayed election results.

Absentee ballots are available 30 days prior to each election. You may pick up an application for an absentee ballot in person, request one by mail or fax, or print a copy of the application by clicking on the link below:

Absentee Ballot Application*

You may vote in person at the Carver County Government Center. For Township elections you can vote during normal business hours Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., on the Saturday before the election from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., or on the Monday before the election until 5:00 p.m.

For Primary and General elections you can vote during normal business hours Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., on the Saturday before the election from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., or on the Monday before the election until 5:00 p.m.

If you are in the Military or residing outside the territorial limits of the United States, you may vote by absentee ballot using the address where you last lived in Minnesota. A special application form is required. Your parent, spouse, brother, sister, or child at least 18 years of age may request a ballot for you.

If you are in a hospital, nursing home, or other health care facility, contact the Taxpayer Services Department at 952-361-1910 for further information.

Election Day Registration

If you are not able to pre-register, you can register on election day. To do so, you must provide election judges at your polling location with certain acceptable forms of identification to prove your eligibility, such as:

• Valid Minnesota driver's license or learner's permit (or receipt for either) showing correct/current address in the precinct
• Valid Minnesota identification card (or receipt) showing correct/current address in the precinct
• Current students may provide a dated Student ID or dated registration card or dated fee statement with a valid address in the precinct, or Student ID if on a dorm list (obtained by the Elections Department from the school prior to the election)
• Notice of Ineffective Registration/Late Registration mailed by Taxpayer Services Department within the two weeks prior to election day, showing address of voter in the precinct (if you receive this notice, follow all instructions)
• Prior registration in the same precinct (applies if voter has moved within the same precinct or changed his or her name)
• Witness/Voucher - oath of a pre-registered voter in the same precinct or of a voter who registers on election day with one of the other authorized ID's. A voter who is vouched for cannot vouch for another voter

Additional proof of residence is allowed. An eligible voter may prove residence by presenting one of the photo identification cards listed in item A) and one of the additional proofs of residence listed in item B).

A)  The following documents are acceptable photo identification cards if they contain the voter's name and photograph:

• A Minnesota driver's license or identification card
• A United States passport
• A United States military identification card
• A student identification card issued by a Minnesota post-secondary educational institution

B)  An original bill for gas, electric, telephone, cell phone, cable television, solid waste, water, or sewer services is acceptable as an additional proof of residence if:

• The bill shows the voter's name and current address in the precinct and
• The due date on the bill is within 30 days before or after election day

If the photo identification presented by the voter establishes the voter's identity and the additional proof of residence presented by the voter establishes the voter's current address in the precinct, the voter shall have proven residence.

*This information is available to download in PDF format.  The documents can be viewed using Adobe Acrobat Reader and printed out for use.  If you do not have Acrobat Reader already installed, you may download a copy by visiting the Adobe website.  Follow the Adobe link for step by step instructions.