Voter Banner

In the 2020 general election, Bloomington voters approved adopting ranked choice voting to elect the Mayor and City Council members. The vote was 51.2% voting YES and 48.8% voting NO.

On April 26, 2021, the City Council passed an ordinance to approve ranked choice voting in the City of Bloomington.  The number of rankings on the ballot will match the number of candidates who have filed for office, up to a maximum of six rankings. Voters are not required to rank all of the candidates.  Staff will provide voter education in advance of the November 2021 City Council election. This election will be the first time ranked choice voting will be used in Bloomington. 

An opportunity to practice casting a ballot using the Ranked Choice Voting method will be available at City Hall, August 2-6 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

More information will be available as the 2021 election approaches.

PDF icon Ranked Choice Voting Ordinance

You can ask questions about ranked choice voting at Let's Talk Bloomington.

General Election 2021

This fall, all Bloomington voters will see one of the Councilmember At-Large seats on their ballot this November, and voters in Council District 3 and Council District 4 will also see their District Councilmember on the ballot. (The other Councilmember At-Large seat plus the Council District 1 and 2 seats and the Mayor’s office are next up for election in November of 2023.)

Candidate filing runs from July 27-August 10, 2021.

General info about voting

Absentee ballots, regular voters - Vote in person

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

Bloomington Civic Plaza
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.

Absentee ballots - Military and overseas voters

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

Voting assistance

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 accessible ballot marking machine.

For more information, contact any of the following:

Become an Election Judge

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

Political divisions and maps

FAQ

Is "early voting" the same as "absentee voting"?

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

What is "direct balloting"?

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.

Am I registered to vote? 

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

How do I register to vote?

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,

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

What hours are polling places open on Election Day? 

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

Where can I download a sample ballot?

Sample Ballots

Where do I go to vote?

Precincts and polling sites

Contact Information

Tennessen warning
Please take notice that any data received by the City as the result of submitting this form will be classified as government data pursuant to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13. Under the Data Practices Act, some or all of this data is classified as public data, including your name, address, email address, phone number, and other personal information provided by you. Public data is available to anyone requesting it and consists of all data furnished via this Web form. Please be advised that the correspondence will be added to the public record. The purpose and intended use of the information collected through this form is to obtain public input and data in support of City activities and services. You have the right to refuse to submit this form. If you choose not to submit this form, you will need to contact the City by another means if you wish to provide the information collected by the form.

Nondiscrimination and accommodation commitments
The City of Bloomington does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs, or activities. Upon request, accommodation will be provided to allow individuals with disabilities to participate in all City of Bloomington services, programs, and activities. Upon request, this information can be provided in Braille, large print, audio tape and/or electronic format.