Early voting began Friday for municipal elections in Minnesota as voters can now cast ballots either in-person or by mail ahead of election day on November 7th.
More than 1,000 requested mail-in ballots are being sent to voters in Minneapolis, where all 13 City Council seats are up for grabs.
"Voting early gets you an experience that's pretty similar to Election Day," said Katie Smith, Director of Elections in Minneapolis. "So we have all of those great benefits whether it's the accessibility features, or translation services. People can vote when it works best for them."
Smith said Friday morning that it was too early to tell what turnout would be like ahead of November.
"This year's unique with a full council election for a two-year term," added Smith. "That's completely because of re-districting. When people come out to vote, they can expect to see the race for city council."
There are a few changes when it comes to the voting process, including paid time off to vote, including for early voting. The Minnesota legislature also worked to restore voting rights to thousands of convicted felons who are not currently incarcerated.
