MPR News PM Update

July 25, 2022

The popularity of voting with absentee ballots ahead of this August’s primary is way down compared to two years ago. As of Friday, about 40,000 absentee ballots were returned and marked accepted as the Aug. 9 primary inches closer.

It would take a huge surge to get anywhere close to the numbers seen in 2020 when COVID-19 pandemic fears led many voters to choose a remote option.

Two years ago, nearly 60 percent of primary votes were cast through the mail or in absentee fashion. There were more than 543,000 absentee and mail votes overall in that primary. 

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