By Mark Zdechlik

MPR News/90.1 FM

Minnesota voters have more options than they’ve ever had in a presidential election year.

Minnesotans can begin casting no-excuses absentee ballots in this year’s general election one week from Friday, in the first presidential election year that voters can request absentee ballots without providing an excuse for why they can’t get to a polling place.

Early voting will also be available to most Minnesotans beginning seven days before the Nov. 8 election day. Voters will be able to fill out ballots at elections offices and feed them into voting machines just as they would on Election Day.

Secretary of State Steve Simon predicted the new options will change the way many Minnesotans vote, and make it more convenient for those who cannot vote within a 13-hour window on a specific Tuesday.

“It helps everybody. I think as more people hear about this, I can tell you more people are excited about it,” Simon said.

The new ways to vote also have big implications for candidates. Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota DFL Party, said political operatives are trying to bag as many early votes as possible.

“From a campaign perspective it really means that it’s elongated that get-out-the-vote period,” said Martin.

Martin said the DFL will use 25 offices and 300 staffers around the state to focus on competitive congressional races in the 2nd, 3rd and 8th Districts and on a slew of close legislative contests

“We know in some of those legislative races that they’re going to be decided by, you know, 50 to 100 votes — maybe even less than that — and so this program could make the difference,” Martin said.

Republican Party of Minnesota Chair Keith Downey said the GOP will be making similar efforts, but Downey won’t specify the number of officers or staff members involved.