Nonprofits and Elections

Voting is a critical part of our democracy. The next election in Minnesota is November 2022, with these races on general election ballots:

All voters will have these races on their ballot:	Some voters will have one or more of these races on their ballot:
All 8 MN U.S. Representative Seats	School Board Members
Governor & Lt. Governor	County Officials
Secretary of State	Township Officers
State Auditor	City Officers
Attorney General	Local Ballot Questions
Judicial Seats
201 Seats in the Minnesota Legislature

As nonprofits, it is our role to advocate for better voting policies and increased access to the polls to eliminate barriers a person may face to voting. Let’s make 2022 a year where we support even more communities to get out to the polls.

MCN is here to help with questions you have regarding elections, as well as support your organization in your civic engagement activities, so please reach out to us! Plus, look out for our upcoming election trainings.

Questions or comments?
If you have any questions or comments about nonprofits and elections — or any of the events or resources listed below — please contact Ileana Mejia, MCN public policy advocate.

What can nonprofits do to support elections?

Encourage your communities to register to vote - registering increases the chance of a person voting.
Never assume that someone is eligible to vote or that they are already registered.
Integrate accessible information about voter registration and voting rights into your everyday programs!
Inform constituents about primary elections, voting absentee, and early voting.
Match your messages to the communities you work with — you are best equipped to do this!
Center historically disenfranchised communities — Black, Indigenous, and people of color are some of the communities that have historically experienced the highest barriers to voting because of the lack of language access, funding for elections, reduced voting hours, and voter ID requirements. Nonprofits can work to eliminate barriers for disenfranchised communities through advocacy and through informing voters of their rights. Additionally, nonprofit can inform voters why voting is a powerful way to shape the communities they live in.

Election Resources for Nonprofits

Elections Timeline

March 8: Township Elections
June 24 - August 8: Vote by mail or in person for the 2022 Primary
July 19: Deadline to pre-register for 2022 Primary Election (you may still register at your polling place on Primary Election Day)
August 9: 2022 Primary Election Day
September 23 - November 7: Vote by mail or in person for the 2022 General Election
October 18: Deadline to pre-register for 2022 General Election (you may still register at your polling place on General Election Day)
November 8: 2022 General Election Day

*In Minnesota you can vote early (absentee) 46 days before Election Day. You can do so via mail or in person.

Looking for specifics on how to vote?

Register to Vote

In order to vote, a person must be a registered voter at their current address and be:

a U.S. citizen
at least 18 years old on Election Day
a resident of Minnesota for 20 days
finished with all parts of any felony sentence

You can work with your communities to register to vote online, on paper with a canvasser, or on Election Day! The Minnesota Secretary of State’s office is a great resource for all of your voter registration and elections questions.

Nonprofits and Elections