Minnesota accepted absentee ballots will smash record soon

Absentee ballots grow in popularity as Election Day draws near

Absentee ballots are growing in popularity as Election Day draws near. Political reporter Theo Keith answers some of the most frequently asked questions about what to expect.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota election officials have accepted 635,003 absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 general election.

Any day, the state will smash its record for accepted absentee ballots. The record is 676,722 during the 2016 general election.

Find out how to register to vote, request an abesentee ballot and more at fox9.com/vote.

There have been 1.54 million absentee ballot requests. That number of requests is already record-breaking. As of Friday, the return rate is 41 percent.

Minnesota absentee voting started Sept. 18.

Accepted ballots by week:

Week 3 (10/2-10/8): 298,986
Week 2 (9/25-10/1): 260,506
Week 1 (9/18-9/24): 75,511*

*This number is lower in the first week because the absentee process takes time. Ballots have to be mailed to voters, filled in, sent back, and accepted.