November 3, 2020 ballot measures in Minnesota

Voters in Minneapolis decided two local charter amendments concerning city council elections and special municipal elections and compliance with state law.

In 2020, Ballotpedia covered local measures that appeared on the ballot for voters within the top 100 largest cities in the U.S. and a selection of notable police-related and election-related measures outside of the top 100 largest cities. Ballotpedia also covered all local measures in California and all statewide ballot measures. Ballotpedia's 2020 local ballot measure coverage includes Minneapolis, Minnesota. Click here to see the scope of Ballotpedia local ballot measure coverage by year.

Local ballot measures

Hennepin County

See also: Hennepin County, Minnesota ballot measures

• Bloomington, Minnesota, Question 3, Ranked-Choice Voting Amendment (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported amending the city charter to elect the mayor and city council members through ranked choice voting, a system in which voters rank candidates and tabulation occurs in rounds that eliminate the candidate with the fewest votes until one candidate receives a majority of votes.

A "no" vote opposed this measure to establish ranked choice voting for mayor and city council elections, thereby leaving the existing plurality election system in place consisting of a primary election and a general election at which voters select one candidate and the candidate with the most votes wins.

• Minneapolis, Minnesota, Question 1, Two-Year City Council Terms after Redistricting Charter Amendment (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported amending the city charter to establish city council elections in 2021 and 2023 for two-year terms instead of four-year terms with four-year term elections restarting in 2025 and to use this method whenever regular city council elections do not fall in a year ending in a 3 so as to comply with a state law designed to require city council elections in years ending in 2 or 3 after a census.

A "no" vote opposed this measure to amend the city charter to establish city council elections in 2021 and 2023 for two-year terms instead of four-year terms with four-year term elections restarting in 2025 and to use this method whenever regular city council elections do not fall in a year ending in 3.

• Minneapolis, Minnesota, Question 2, Dates of Special Elections to Fill Vacancies Charter Amendment (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported amending the city charter to state that special municipal elections to fill vacancies must be held on one of the state-set uniform election dates that is at least 90 days after the vacancy occurs.

A "no" vote opposed this measure to require special municipal elections to fill vacancies to occur on uniform election dates set by state law, thereby leaving the existing charter provisions requiring special municipal elections to fill vacancies to occur within 90 days of the vacancies.

• Minnetonka, Minnesota, Question 1, Ranked-Choice Voting Amendment (November 2020):  ✔

A "yes" vote supported amending the city charter to elect the mayor and city council members through ranked choice voting, a system in which voters rank candidates and tabulation occurs in rounds that eliminate the candidate with the fewest votes until one candidate receives a majority of votes.

A "no" vote opposed this measure to establish ranked choice voting for mayor and city council elections, thereby leaving the existing plurality election system in place consisting of a primary election and a general election at which voters select one candidate and the candidate with the most votes wins.

Not on the ballot

• Minneapolis, Minnesota, Remove Minimum Police Department Funding Requirement from the Charter Amendment (November 2020)
• Minneapolis, Minnesota, Replace Police Department with the Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention Charter Amendment (November 2020)

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Minnesota

Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in Minnesota.

How to cast a vote in Minnesota

The information below covers regular voting policies in the state. Information may have not applied to the election on November 3, 2020, because of temporary changes in response to coronavirus. Click here to read about changes made for the 2020 elections. Poll times In Minnesota, most polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central Time. However, some smaller municipalities may open their polls as late as 10:00 a.m. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote. Registration requirements Check your voter registration status here. Voter pre-registration is available in Minnesota beginning at age 16. An individual must be 18 years old on Election Day in order to vote. To register to vote in Minnesota, an individual must be a United States citizen who has resided in the state for the 20-day period preceding the election. An individual must register to vote at least 21 days before Election Day or on Election Day at a polling place. An individual may register to vote by completing a registration application and submitting it by mail or in-person to a local election official. An individual can also register online. To register at a polling place on Election Day, an individual must present valid identification. The Minnesota voter registration application includes an option to join a permanent absentee voter list, which means the voter will automatically be sent an absentee/mail-in ballot for every election. Automatic registration Minnesota practices automatic voter registration. Automatic voter registration took effect on June 1, 2023, as a result of HF 3, which was signed into law by Governor Tim Walz (D) on May 5, 2023. Online registration See also: Online voter registration Minnesota has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website. Same-day registration Minnesota allows for same-day voter registration. Residency requirements To register to vote in Minnesota, you must be a resident of the state for at least 20 days. Verification of citizenship See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States As of October 2024, Minnesota did not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, "giving false information is a felony punishable by not more than 5 years imprisonment or a fine of not more than $10,000, or both." All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters. Verifying your registration The Minnesota Secretary of State allows residents to check their voter registration status online. Voter ID requirements Minnesota does not require registered voters to present identification while voting. If you are registering to vote at the polls or have not voted in at least four years, you will need to bring proof of residency to the polls. Click here to see what qualifies as acceptable proof of residency.

See also

• Local ballot measure elections in 2020
• Local elections and campaigns on the ballot