Voting information

A “ballot question" is a proposition placed on the ballot to be voted on by the voters of one or more political subdivisions but not by all the voters of the State. Minnesota Rules govern the form of the ballot question. The heading must read “CITY QUESTIONS.” Below this, instructions will read: “To vote for a question, fill in the oval next to the word “YES” for that question. To vote against a question, fill in the oval next to the word “NO” for that question.”

REMOVE ALCOHOL REGULATIONS FROM THE CITY CHARTER
Shall the Bloomington City Charter be amended to delete Section 12.12, which would allow the City Council to adopt ordinances authorizing additional types of places to serve and sell alcohol in the City?

There are two types of cities in Minnesota: charter and statutory. Bloomington is a charter city which means that it has its own “constitution” that provides additional regulations and opportunities. One such provision in section 12.12 in the Bloomington City Charter regulates on-sale and off-sale of intoxicating liquor in the City. The question asks voters whether to remove alcohol regulations from the City Charter. If approved, alcohol would still be regulated by state law and the city code.

State law requires charter amendments related to the sale of intoxicating liquor be placed on the ballot. (Minnesota Statutes Section 410.121) On May 16, 2019, the Charter Commission approved a resolution recommending that the City Council adopt ballot language to amend the City Charter to remove the regulations on intoxicating liquor in section 12.12 of the Charter. (Resolution 2019-1-C) On July 15, 2019, the City Council approved a charter amendment question to be included on the November 5, 2019, General Election Ballot. It would authorize the City Council to adopt ordinances that would allow for new types of liquor establishments such as tap rooms and cocktail rooms. (Resolution 2019-92)

The General Election is scheduled for November 5, 2019. Absentee (“early voting”) begins on September 20. Direct balloting starts at City Hall on October 29. Voting information can be found below.

Passage requires a “yes” vote from 55 percent of people voting on the question. A non-vote on the question has no impact on the calculation of the vote. 

If approved, section 12.12 of the City Charter would be removed 30 days after the election.

In order for the City to issue new types of liquor licenses, the City Code will need to be amended after public notice and a public hearing. One potential license that is allowed by state law but not currently in the city code is a taproom license. 

Cities may spend a reasonable amount of money to educate and inform voters on relevant facts and the potential effects of the passage or failure of a ballot question. The City is prohibited from using public funds to promote or advocate for the passage/defeat of a ballot question. City Council members and commissioners are not prohibited from orally advocating for a measure so long as no public funds are used for the speaking engagement.

Citizens are encouraged to serve as election judges as an opportunity to learn more about elections and to provide a great service to the community. Election judges are entitled to paid time off from their employer. The City of Bloomington pays its judges the following rates:

• Students (ages 16 - 17) – $10 per hour
• Regular election judges – $11.25 per hour
• Assistant head judges – $12.50 per hour
• Head judges – $13 per hour

To learn more, contact the Elections Office at 952-563-8729.

• Map of Congressional District 3
• Map of Legislative Districts 49B, 50A, 50B
• Map of City Council Districts I, II, III, IV
• Map of Precincts 1 - 32 including a list of polling sites

Submit your completed absentee ballot application  to Hennepin County Elections either in person, by mail, email or fax:

Hennepin County Elections
C190 Government Center
300 South 6th Street
Minneapolis  MN  55487
Fax:  612-348-2151
Email: hc.vote@hennepin.us

When you'll receive your mailed ballot

• If you apply more than 46 days before the election, your ballot will be mailed to you at least 46 days prior to the election.
• If you apply within 46 days of the election, your ballot will be mailed to you within a day or two of your application being received. 

How to return your voted absentee ballot

• Voted ballots must be received on or before election day in one of the following ways:

Return by mail

Mail your ballot back in the pre-paid, pre-addressed envelope that was provided with your ballot materials.

• Ballot must be received on or before election day.
• If you don't think your ballot will be received in time using regular mail, you may choose to pay for an express delivery service.

Return in person

• Return your own ballot in person to Hennepin County Elections or to the Bloomington City Clerk’s Office
  • by 3 p.m. on election day
• Someone else may return your voted ballot to Hennepin County Elections or to the Bloomington City Clerk’s Office
  • by 3 p.m. on election day
  • Persons delivering ballots may not do so for more than three voters. 

Starting 46 days before an election, you may vote in person at:

Bloomington City Hall
City Clerk’s Office
1800 West Old Shakopee Road
Bloomington  MN  55431

In person voting hours are:

• During regular business hours:  Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• During additional hours before Election Day:
  • August 10, 2019, 10:00 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • August 12, 2019, until 5 p.m.

If you are in the military or living overseas, see Hennepin County's link for military and overseas voter services.

All polling sites are accessible. They can help you in several ways.

Ask the election judges for assistance:

• To read or mark a ballot.
• To obtain a magnifying device or a chair to use in the voting booth.
• To vote at the curb.
• To use an AutoMARK voter assistance terminal.

For more information, contact any of the following:

• Voter Registration, City of Bloomington - PH: 952-563-8729, TTY: 952-563-8740
• Minnesota Secretary of State - PH: 651-215-1440
• Hennepin County Elections - PH: 612-348-5151
• Minnesota League of Women Voters - PH: 651-224-5445

Yes. If you wish to vote before Election Day, you may do so by casting an absentee ballot. 

During the final seven days before an Election Day, absentee voters who vote in person are allowed to place their ballots through a tabulator instead of sealing them into an envelope for later processing.  This allows the voters to watch as their ballots are tabulated and to be made aware of any errors the tabulator may detect as the ballots are processed.

To find out if you are registered to vote, use the Secretary of State's Voter Registration Lookup Service.

To be eligible to vote in Minnesota, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be a Minnesota resident for at least 20 days on Election Day.
• Maintain residence at the address on the voter registration application.

You must re-register if you have:

• Moved to a different address (even if only the apartment number has changed).
• Changed your name.
• Have not voted once within the last four years.          

Pre-registration

In Minnesota, you can preregister up until 20 days before Election Day. If the election is within 20 days, you must register at your polling place on Election Day. Once you are registered, you will receive a postcard with your voting information, and your name will appear on the list of pre-registered voters at your polling place.

• Complete an online Voter Registration Application at the Hennepin County Elections Web site; print, sign, and mail to Hennepin County Voter Registration Office at
  • C190 Government Center
    300 South 6th St.
    Minneapolis, MN 55487-0012; or
• Register in person at the City of Bloomington or at Hennepin County; or
• If English is not your first language,
  • Visit the Secretary of State’s website for voter registration applications in Hmong, Spanish, Somali, Russian, and Vietnamese or
  • Visit our foreign language resources page for links to PDF applications in these languages.

Election Day registration

To register at the polling place on Election Day, you must have authorized proof of residence:

• Valid Minnesota Driver's License, Learner's Permit or receipt of either with current address located in precinct.
• Valid Minnesota I.D. or receipt with current address located in precinct.
• A registered voter in the precinct who can vouch for you.
• Registration in the same precinct indicating a previous name or address.
• Mailed notice from the Registration Office indicating late registration.
• A tribal I.D. with name, address, signature, and picture of the individual.

Voters may register with a combination of two documents: one photo ID and one current bill (see below for specifics).

• The Photo ID must contain voter's current name and photo. It may contain the voter's old address or lack an address. Approved photo IDs:
  • MN Driver's License
  • MN State ID
  • MN post-secondary student ID
  • Tribal ID
  • U.S. Military ID
  • U.S. Passport

• The current bill (delivered electronically or by mail) must show voter's current name and address in the precinct. The following bills are acceptable:

  • Utility bill, due within 30 days of the Election Day (electric, garbage, gas, Internet service, sewer, solid waste, telephone—land line, cell or VOIP, TV—cable or satellite, water)
  • Rent statement dated within 30 days of the Election Day that itemizes utilities
  • Current student fee statement

The voters receive the same optical scan paper ballot whether they will vote using a pen or the AutoMARK ballot marking device. The AutoMARK is a tool - an "electronic pen" - to assist the voter in marking the ballot. The AutoMARK has special features to assist voters with disabilities that make it difficult to mark an optical scan paper ballot (i.e. blind, poor eyesight, unable to hold a pen). When the voter inserts the ballot into the AutoMARK, an electronic version of the ballot appears on the screen. The screen provides options for reverse contrast, enlargement for easier reading, or for being turned off for privacy if a voter chooses to access the ballot by using earphones and keypad. The recorded audio description of the ballot can be used in place of or in conjunction with the visual version on the screen. The voter makes selections by the touch screen, the keypad, or alternative adaptive method.

The AutoMARK ballot marking device provides voters the opportunity to review and verify their selections. Upon the voter's direction, the AutoMARK marks the ovals on the optical scan ballot. The voter then inserts the ballot into the DS200 ballot counter used by all voters in the precinct. The voting process remains the same for voters who do not need the assistance of the AutoMARK for marking a ballot. Votes are tallied by the ballot counter to produce precinct results.

For further information, contact the City Clerk's Office at 952-563-8729 or find more information about AutoMARK on the Minnesota Secretary of State's website.

Polling sites are open for voting from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Precincts and polling sites

Precincts and polling sites