Minnesota voter turnout estimated below 2020 record
(FOX 9)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Unofficial results put Minnesota's voter turnout for the 2024 election below the state's record set in 2020.
What we know
So far, the Minnesota Secretary of State says early results put Minnesota at about 76 percent turnout.
That number is higher than the 2016 presidential election, when 74.72 percent of Minnesota voters cast a ballot, but below the record set in 2020 when the state saw a nearly 80 percent (79.96 percent) turnout.
It should be noted the official turnout number isn't recorded until after results are certified.
With ballots still being counted, it's unclear where Minnesota stands in nationwide turnout. The Associated Press put Wisconsin's turnout around 73 percent as well. Washington state officials said before Election Day they expected turnout to surpass 80 percent.
Delayed results
In a message on Wednesday, the Minnesota Secretary of State also explained the delayed results reporting in some counties.
As previously reported, Minnesota changed its law in 2023 allowing ballots delivered by close of polls on Election Day to be counted. The previous deadline was 3 p.m. on Election Day.
The Secretary of State says some counties reported a high volume of ballots being dropped off at precincts on Election Day. Since results are reported only after the absentee ballots have been counted, that led to some reporting delays as the absentee ballots were processed.
Notably, it took until the early morning hours for results to start coming in for Ramsey and Washington counties.