Minnesotans take their voting seriously. According to data from the Secretary of State, in 2020, Minnesota broke a record when 79.9% of eligible voters in the state cast a ballot in the general election. In 2024, Minnesota came in second to Wisconsin in the general election, but youth in the state led the nation with 62% of voters ages 18 to 29 casting a ballot.
Those numbers could increase even further with the introduction of new technology in Hennepin County, called ExpressVote.
“This is great for individuals with disabilities or those who just need another way to mark their ballot,” said Nathan Janicek, Hennepin County community liaison.
ExpressVote is an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant voting solution that allows every voter, particularly those with physical, perceptual, or cognitive disabilities, to cast a ballot independently.
“ExpressVote is just a really slick, high-tech machine that offers a smooth process for marking your ballot,” Janicek explained. He said there are several ways to use ExpressVote, including a touchscreen option for making selections, a braille keypad for those with visual impairments, or a two-button control system. After you put your paper ballot into the machine, it will display your choices in large print. When you make choices, they are noted in a high-contrast background. ExpressVote can also read off selections to the voter wearing headphones to make choices and ensure the voter’s selections are correct before submission.
“The most popular is the touch screen option, just marking your ballot right on the screen,” Janicek said. “It will show all the races in your election, and you can just select. You put the ballot in the machine, and it marks it for you to review.” Janicek said the ballot is then printed out to be placed in the tabulator just like any other ballot.
“A lot of voters who have used this machine are very pleased with the accessibility options,” Janicek added.
ExpressVote became an option in Hennepin County starting in 2025. It is also being incorporated in a growing number of counties across Minnesota.
To learn more, go here. You can also see a demonstration of how ExpressVote works here.