ST. PAUL — Election Day has arrived in Minnesota. Sort of.

The state’s early voting window officially opens Friday. People who want to vote absentee can get their ballots.

The state expanded its absentee process so people can vote early in-person or by mail without needing a valid excuse for doing so. Officials expect to see an uptick in ballots submitted well in advance of Nov. 4.

Absentee voting differs from early voting offered in other states because the ballots are not put into counting machines right away. That gives people a chance to substitute their ballot if they change their mind so long as they void their prior one by Oct. 28.

Political parties have activated get-out-the-vote programs sooner than usual to coincide with the absentee-voting window.